DOS Adoption Notice - Cameroon Adoption Scams

Adoption Notice

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues

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Internet Adoption Fraud Scams on Rise

March 19, 2010

The Department of State is aware of a growing number of Internet scams offering to match prospective adoptive parents with a child who is allegedly available for adoption in Cameroon. Americans should be extremely cautious about sending money to any individual in connection with adopting a child they have only corresponded with by e-mail. Cameroonian law requires that prospective adoptive parents MUST travel to Cameroon and participate in person in the legal procedures that govern Cameroonian adoptions. Furthermore, in order for an adoptive or prospective adoptive child to come to the United States to permanently reside, the U.S. citizen adoptive or prospective adoptive parent MUST file an I-600A or I-600 application with the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the child MUST be issued the appropriate immigrant visa by the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde.

The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde maintains a database of aliases and e-mail addresses used by known scam artists that have been brought to its attention. Before sending money to any individual who claims that they can match you with a child in need of a family, please check with the U.S. Embassy first by writing to YaoundeACS@state.gov .

In order to protect yourself and children from the possibility of fraud or other serious problems, prospective adoptive parents are advised to consider first the list of accredited orphanages available through the Ministry of Social Affairs:

Ministry of Social Affairs/High Court (Tribunal de Grande Instance)
Sub-Department of Child Protection (situated at Meki Quarters)
Sous Direction de la Sauvegarde de L’Enfant-SDSE
Tel: 2220-02-16

Should prospective adoptive parents wish to hire a Cameroonian attorney to assist with the adoption, you can obtain a list of attorneys maintained by the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde.

http://adoption.state.gov/news/cameroon.html

Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/