As you pursue adoption, it’s important to be on the lookout for signs of common adoption scams aimed at touting false information to secure your financial commitment.  

Unlicensed professionals like adoption consultants and facilitators typically cannot help you complete an adoption in your state. Instead, they specialize in matching adoptive families like you with unverified birth mothers, then leave you hanging with zero case management, required resources and services, and an unknown wait time. 

These individuals rely on adoption scams to get adoptive families to make an investment in their pursuit of adoption.  

Unfortunately, what they are committing to is far from the truth, and they don’t find out until their contract expires. They are still waiting for an adoption opportunity and face unexpected additional fees. 

Before you continue, we encourage you to click here and complete our free online form to connect with a trusted adoption professional. You will get honest information about which professionals to work with and how to avoid common adoption scams. 

Now, here are 3 signs to look for to avoid an adoption scam. 

Sign 1: Vague Information on Available Birth Mothers and Waiting Families 

An instant red flag to be on the lookout for is vague information presented by a professional regarding available birth mothers and current adoptive families on their waiting list. 

Wait times are an important factor for an adoptive family when choosing a professional. 

Adoption professionals such as consultants and facilitators know this, which is why they quote families with unrealistic wait times.  

By telling you they have the highest amount of web traffic and a network of professionals who can quickly match you with a birth mom, they sell a false sense of excitement for completing an adoption. 

They also pull an adoption scam by giving you false information about the number of families they have currently awaiting an adoption opportunity. This also significantly impacts your wait time. 

What You Can Do 

Ask for information on how many birth mothers the agency hears from. You can also ask to see how many adoptions the professional you’re working with completes each year.  

Suppose they tell you they work with a high number of birth mothers and adoptive families but only complete 15-20 adoption a year. In that case, you can assume their numbers are dishonest, and it’s an adoption scam. 

You can also get in touch with a trusted adoption professional who can guide you to licensed adoption agencies that actually work with larger numbers of verified birth mothers. 

Sign 2: Advertisements for Low Adoption Costs 

The reality for adoptive families is that adoption can be expensive. 

A common adoption scam comes from professionals quoting low upfront adoption costs.  

The numbers you’ll often see don’t include unexpected fees and are always provided as a best-case scenario. So, searching for an adoption professional and coming across an advertisement offering what seems like incredibly low costs is likely too good to be true and a possible adoption scam. 

Another reality in adoption is that disruptions happen. Unfortunately, the financial adoption scam of ultra-low costs is associated with expiring adoption contracts knowing there is little chance for completion before the expiration date. 

When this happens, you are forced to repay those adoption fees to continue your journey. 

Younger couples often find themselves unable to afford more fees, while older couples aren’t as likely to resign a contract and extend their wait time. Ultimately, the professional running the adoption scam still gets the money. 

What You Can Do 

By working with an experienced and trusted adoption agency, you’ll get transparency in the complete costs associated with your adoption. 

You’ll receive a breakdown of your fees so that you know exactly what to expect financially, allowing you to prepare for what’s ahead. 

The best adoption agencies provide insurance for your financial investment as well. 

Take, for example, American Adoptions, which offers a risk-protection program that keeps your original investment protected in case your adoption doesn’t work out.  

In the event a disruption occurs, your money is refunded so that you can continue to pursue your adoption journey and avoid the common adoption scam of requiring you to repay fees in addition to what you have already invested. 

We know adoption costs can be confusing, so we want to help. By clicking here to complete our free online form, we’ll help you understand adoption costs and point you towards adoption agencies that provide a clear fee structure and financial protections. 

Sign 3: The Ability to Complete Your Adoption 

A professional’s ability to complete your adoption safely and legally is crucial.  

Sadly, many families discover after signing an adoption contract that their professional can only complete some of the steps. 

So, not only has money been paid, but an adoptive family must now seek additional professionals to handle specific steps to complete the adoption. Many adoption consultants and facilitators are only skilled in certain aspects of adoption. 

In many cases, they lack social casework, and even if they claim to have attorneys, they do not possess state licenses to complete an adoption, nor are they reviewed annually by state officials. 

Nearly all 50 states require an official license. Unlicensed adoption professionals pull adoption scams by not disclosing this information to their families. 

If a professional you’ve found makes no mention of the adoption process, how it works and how they can help complete the necessary steps, including your home study, that’s a red flag and likely an adoption scam. 

What You Can Do 

Legitimate, licensed adoption agencies are reviewed annually to update their license status. When you work with one of these agencies, you can feel confident knowing they can complete your adoption safely and legally in your state. 

The steps of the adoption process, including the legal process and completion of adoption paperwork, are handled by experienced professionals specializing in case management, social services and specifically, adoption. 

When speaking to a professional, ask about their complete list of services and whether or not they can complete your adoption from start to finish. Be sure to mention home study services and if they provide support for this crucial step in the adoption process. 

To make your life easier and your adoption journey clearer, fill out this free online contact form to speak to one of our professionals today. They can help you find the best licensed adoption agency for your family. 

An Adoption Agency is Always the Safer Choice 

Adoption scam stories are heartbreaking. Adoptive families choosing this heroic path not only to better their lives and grow their families but also to help a birth mother in need deserve better. 

Without a doubt, the best way to avoid adoption scams is to work with an adoption agency. 

Simply put, they are: 

• Safer 
• Licensed and regulated 
• Better equipped to complete your adoption 
• Invested in the success of your journey 
• Honest and transparent about costs and fee structure 
• Your best chance at the lowest wait time 

We encourage you to click here for our free online contact form, which connects you to a professional who can provide you with more information on possible adoption scams and help you find an adoption agency for your family that can actually provide you with the support and services you need. 

You deserve to work with the best adoption professionals, and we are here to help make that happen.