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Adoption Attorney Stephen Ravel shares advice on why it can be risky for someone looking to adopt a child to use the internet in order to find a birth mother
Risks of Finding A Birth Mother On The Internet - Kidsinthehouse.com
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If someone were to go out on their own to look for a birth mother on the internet, it would be extremely risky to do it on their own. I think the risk are that the clients are so desirous of adopting a child, they could be taken advantage of very easily. They could be contacted by someone, and you know nothing about that person. That person could be a 14 year old boy in Kansas who is just having fun or someone who is trying to make money and scam you. I've seen people who have been very involved with the birth mom, and they have called me the situation. I said, "This just doesn't sound right to me. This is somebody who is not serious about placing a child up for adoption and is trying to take advantage of you. Let me get involved. Let me be able to confirm that they are pregnant. Let me be able to, if there is any money involved, that you are not going to be taken advantage of and it's handled properly." You've got to screen these women and not accept them at face value. They can tell you anything and it doesn't mean it's true. You have got to get behind the story and talk to third parties; talk to doctors, talk to lawyers who know this person, who can confirm that they are pregnant, who can confirm that they are serious about adoption. These are the issues that you really need to be aware of when you are dealing with an internet situation.

Adoption Attorney Stephen Ravel shares advice on why it can be risky for someone looking to adopt a child to use the internet in order to find a birth mother

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Stephen Ravel

Adoption Attorney

Stephen Ravel attended UC Berkley for his undergraduate degree and Santa Clara Law School for his law degree. Stephen has been an attorney since 1973, and has been involved with adoption law since 1984. He has handled over 1,300 adoptions since the start of his career. Stephen is married and has three children. His oldest child was adopted from Brazil at birth.

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