PETALING JAYA: Potential parents who want to adopt a child have been told to beware of online scams and follow all procedures for legal adoption.
OrphanCare Foundation advocacy, communications and fundraising manager Riza Alwi said adoption scams have become common, especially on social media.
“They involve fraudulent organisations posing as legitimate adoption agencies and offering ‘babies for sale’, so potential adoptive parents must exercise caution in dealing with them.”
OrphanCare is not an adoption agency but it advocates providing unplanned newborn babies the opportunity to grow up in a family environment and helps couples navigate the Malaysian adoption process.
“We understand the emotions of potential adoptive parents but it is important to ensure one is contacting verified channels. Please be cautious and reach out only to official representatives to avoid falling victim to scams.”
One adoption scam case involves a TikTok post in which a scammer posed as an agent, advertised a baby for adoption and provided a picture of the newborn and a phone number to contact.
Prospective parents who reached out were given details about the baby, including birth date, hospital and gender, and told of an adoption fee of RM9,000 for a girl and RM8,000 for a boy.
Riza said such scammers lure prospective parents with promises of quick and easy adoptions, often demanding substantial upfront fees for their “services”.
“Once payments are made, the scammers disappear, leaving behind heartbroken families and empty bank accounts. The scams exploit the desires of couples who want to offer a loving home to a child.
“We have experienced a similar incident in which a scammer claimed to be affiliated with OrphanCare and solicited deposits from those keen on adopting a baby.”
She said OrphanCare has issued public announcements on its Facebook page that it does not accept booking fees for adoption and requests for deposits to adopt a child are illegal.
“It is heartbreaking to see the hopes of prospective parents dashed by scammers. Adopting a baby is not an easy process. Many legal procedures need to be followed in the child’s interest.”
She urged police and authorities to take swift action against the scammers and emphasised the need for prompt and thorough investigations to bring those responsible to justice.
She also urged potential adoptive parents to verify the authenticity of adoption-related offers, especially on social media platforms.
Yesterday, Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said police have acted against an individual involved in a baby selling scam on social media and are on the lookout for a second suspect.
He confirmed that investigation papers have been opened following two reports lodged in Penang and Perak.
In the Perak case, police tracked down the owner of a bank account used in the scam and charged her on Tuesday at the Taiping Magistrate’s Court under Section 29(1) of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
