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Beware of kenygodlove@yahoo.com, adoption scammer in Cameroon

Some spam I get is hilarious and well worth the irritation. For example:

Try Penis Enlarge Patch once and be happy for the rest of your life.

“Once” ? Really? That is one hell of a patch.

But other spam I get is much more subtle and sad. For example:

Hi there Erika.

I m contacting on your interest in adopting a baby from Africa.so for more information get back to me as soon as you can

I almost deleted it, but instead I decided to see how far I could get him to go and how much of his scam I could get him to reveal. I responded:

Sounds interesting — tell me more.

Very quickly I got 2 messages from him:

Thanks for the mail. I will get back to you soon.

Followed by:

Thank you very much for your response. My name is Michelle and I am a Birth Mother and Adoption Professional working at catholic mission. I would like to talk with you briefly to make sure leslie and blandin fulfills what you are looking for. When you get a few moments,please in making things progress more smoothly. Also, we will need to send you a packet of information to fill out so that you can begin working with an Adoption Specialist.

GENERAL INFORMATIONS

NAME…………….

CELL PHONE………

E-MAIL…………..

BIRTH DATE…….

AGE……………..

BIRTH PLACE…………

SOCIAL SUCURITY………

RACE……………………..

RELIGION……………..

NIT ORIGIN……………

CITIZEN SHIP………..

MARRIAGE DATE………..

SIZE …………………

ADDRESS 1…………

ADDRESS 2………..

COLOR………………….

WE NEED A BRIEF REASON OF ADOPTING A CHILD AND HOW WILL YOU TAKE CARE OF HER/HIM.WE ARE LOCATED IN CAMEROON FROM WHERE THE BABIES ARE COMING FROM.AFTER YOU HAVE FILL THE FORM,I WILL SEND TO YOU SOME PICTURES OF THE AVIALEBE CHILDREN FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR CHOICE,SO GET BACK TO US FOR MARE INFORMATIONS.

Sincerely,

See the first part of the scam yet? “SOCIAL SUCURITY” — they’re no dummies. They even mis-spell it so you might think “Oh hell, they just have to be for real.” I mean yeah, it is funny that they added “SIZE” and “COLOR” as questions, but overall this is awful. So I wrote back:

I’d love to see the pictures, thanks.

And this is what arrived:

Hi there Erika,Thanks for mailing back,

Attach are some of the pictures of the babies,so you will have to mack your choice,and get back to us,and please we will need the information that were send to you.hope you will love the pics get back to us as soon as you can.

Thanks

11.jpg

21.jpg

31.jpg

I was so floored by the photos (I whited-out the eyes) that I guess I didn’t respond quickly enough. I got another note from him:

Hi there,i m still waiting to read from you.

get back to me as soon as you can.

thanks

So I said:

Hi Keny,

I’m curious about how much this will cost — I don’t know if I can afford to do it. Also, what are the rules about adopting from Cameroon? Is there any official paperwork to take care of? And how soon could I bring a child home?

Erika

To which he replied:

Good Day

In this adoption , we real do not give a specific price, we just need a home for the shelter for our kids and any one who will care for them while they grow as their children. but you have to make a choice of what you have and you consider that from the age he/she is now what expenses we have involved in and you compensate us. so i will like to ask. what do you have to offer in having baby please do not be afraid to say it just make a proposal and we will see what we can do. we don’t sell children as one cannot sell Gods creature for it is above our carriage. so we need just a compensation from you considering the cater of the child.if you are ready baby now,it will take about 3weeks for you to have the baby at your home okay.so get back to us with what you have for the baby,so that we can stat the paperwork asap.

Thanks and waiting to read from you

The next day he said:

Hi there Erika,

I m still waiting to read from you.

Thanks and stay bless

And at the point I lost all credibility as an investigator because I just couldn’t stomach corresponding with him anymore. Especially because I know the next steps. I would offer some money, it would miraculously be enough. But when the time got closer and closer there would be paperwork fees, travel fees, and so on. And what do you know, the child would never appear.

At least that’s how it works with the classic “Free Puppy from Cameroon” scam that he and many others are also working.

Christ, does he think no one will google his email address? The sad part is that that is all I had to do to discover exactly how he was going to try to scam me, but inevitably he’ll find someone who doesn’t do that and will get their money.

I had intended to get deeper into this, but it turns out that I just don’t have the fortitude for it. It made me physically ill every time I dealt with him. What a depressing situation.

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Erika Jurney

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Comments

40 responses to “Beware of kenygodlove@yahoo.com, adoption scammer in Cameroon”

  1. AbsolutelyBananas Avatar
    AbsolutelyBananas

    Wow! I’d say you’re a pretty good investigator from where I’m sitting.

    Reply
  2. Karly Avatar
    Karly

    I don’t blame you for not continuing on. It makes me sick as well to think of people falling for that. That bastard.

    Reply
  3. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    Oh how sad. People probably fall for this quite often, people who desperatly want a child. So sad.

    And hey, if this blogging gig doesn’t pan out for you, I think you have a future as a detective.

    Reply
  4. Rhonda Avatar
    Rhonda

    I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. Seriously.

    People like that should be fed to alligators in bite-sized morsels.

    Reply
  5. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    Wow. That’s disgusting. You would certainly like to hope that people wouldn’t be fooled by this but you know that someone, somewhere will be.

    Reply
  6. Mrs. Schmitty Avatar
    Mrs. Schmitty

    I just can’t understand how some people can do things like this. How can that person live with no conscience? Totally disgusting.

    Reply
  7. dayatthebeach Avatar
    dayatthebeach

    Isn’t Cameroon in AFRICA? Is that a white, blonde haired child I see? At least make it credible, man.

    Reply
  8. Cate Avatar
    Cate

    I’m speechless…and a little nauseous. I can’t believe this. I know scams are left right and center these days, but when it involves something like adoption, it just makes me ill.

    Reply
  9. Ivy Avatar
    Ivy

    That whole thing makes me sad, too. It really preys on people’s feelings and emotions. :::sigh::::

    Reply
  10. Sherry Avatar
    Sherry

    It makes me so sad to know that there are people who will actually fall prey to something like this. Personally I think you did really well to get as far as you did without ripping him a new one.

    Is he still emailing you to ask if you’re ready or did you tell him to stick it?

    Reply
  11. Beth Avatar
    Beth

    Yep, that is disgusting. Makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it.

    Reply
  12. Tabitha Avatar
    Tabitha

    I feel pretty sick from reading about this. And I wanted to scream when I saw the pictures.

    I think I’m just too raw right now.

    Reply
  13. hello insomnia Avatar
    hello insomnia

    Ugh. That’s just terrible.

    Reply
  14. Nell Avatar
    Nell

    The children all look happy and well cared for, so obviously they are in no way related to this dubious scam artist.

    And seriously, take a freaking English lesson before trying to scam the nice people in English speaking countries. I know they do it because it works, but come on.

    Reply
  15. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    This makes me want to toss my cookies. I can’t believe those pictures! Umn, why are these kids up for adoption? Or did you just KIDNAP them and are trying to scam money from their pictures??

    Pardon me while I yarf everywhere.

    Reply
  16. Oh, The Joys Avatar
    Oh, The Joys

    They look like photos stolen from blogs…

    Reply
  17. Plain Jane Mom Avatar
    Plain Jane Mom

    Yes, I’m certain there are no actual kids or kidnapping involved. For one thing that would be a lot of work. Much easier just to pilfer photographs and pretend to have the kids.

    Reply
  18. BirdieRoark Avatar
    BirdieRoark

    Kinda makes me hope for the penis enlargement spam. I can handle that. But stolen photos of happy children in an adoption ring, well it makes my heart break a little. A lot actually. What an asshat.

    Reply
  19. thordora Avatar
    thordora

    I’d be more than a little freaked if my kid was one of those…

    Reply
  20. Kelly Avatar
    Kelly

    I can’t believe you had the nerve to go as far as you did! That guy and his scam is so disturbing…and those pictures!Blech!

    Reply
  21. Mrs. Flinger Avatar
    Mrs. Flinger

    I was thinking the exact same thing as Oh The Joys. It could be anyones FLICKR photos he’s going through. The world can really be sad sometimes.

    Reply
  22. Her Grace Avatar
    Her Grace

    Wow. Just…wow. That’s sad and infuriating. I love your mad investigating skills. Ug. What a sad, sad loser he is (and others like him.)

    Reply
  23. Maria P. Avatar
    Maria P.

    Is it wrong that I find this post funny? Obviously what is being done is wrong but they did such a terrible job… it isn’t even a little bit credible.

    I laughed through the whole post because it was obviously full of crap.

    Any one who falls for this scam is too stupid to be adopting children.

    Reply
  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I am just received one of these emails offering me a child named Jennifer who is about 6 months old. He has sent photos and he is apparently contacting his lawyer to arrange the adoption.

    Reply
  25. Brandy Avatar
    Brandy

    I also received a version of this email with a slightly different twist. The story added that the birth mother abandoned the baby boy on the street and there are no known parents. We’ve went as far as getting contact phone numbers, calling them in Cameroon, and calling the US Embassy to Cameroon. I’m in the process of working with the US Ambassador to the country to try and get a complete picture of what is going on there. Please savea any contacts that you may encounter with these folks. We may need to review/compare the events for authenticity and possible legal action aginst the scam artists. Sad thing is-we are truely looking for an infant, preferrrably a male, to adopt. The fees stated were much less than all other routes of adoption we’ve researched, so I can see where desparate couples are being reeled into the scam.

    Reply
  26. Its Me Avatar
    Its Me

    It’s pretty funny you guys fall for stuffs like that. I’m a Cameroonian and will tell you the truth. These guys claim the West is milking dry Africa and they have to do whatever they can to extort as much as they can from any folk across the seas. The truth is they simply work on your desparation and your truthful way of doing things over there and your good consciences. I feel pretty bad whenever i read any of these stupid scams. Please, use this same medium (internet) to get the right information about stuffs like that (adoption and others). From Cameroon you can only get information, but must present yourself for any adoption stuffs because they’re no adoption agencies in Cameroon. Thanks.

    Reply
  27. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    I have also been contacted by this scam artist. Unfortunately it is very difficult to verify any of the information he sends. I spent quite a bit of time on the internet trying to find out something about him or the agency he says he works through – My Hills the Catholic Adoption Center Cameroon. He is using mccarthy@unionplus.net as his email address now. But I received some of the same baby pictures that you received. I wish there were somewhere to report his actions. Any thoughts?

    Reply
  28. kmb007 Avatar
    kmb007

    I was involved with one of these recently. My Husband and I are trying to adopt a child. We have a 7 month old daughter already that is biologically ours. I found out that it was a scammer when he/she sent me the pictures. Amongst them, 3 stood out, for I was the one who had taken them of my own daughter5 months ago. Man I despise people who do this.

    Reply
  29. Jessie Avatar
    Jessie

    Thanks for entering this post in the adoption journey blog carnival! More people need to be aware of these types of scams.

    Jessie’s latest post: Adoption Journey Blog Carnival- May Edition

    Reply
  30. Erika Jurney Avatar
    Erika Jurney

    Jessie, sure — I hope it helps someone!

    Reply
  31. Bianca Avatar
    Bianca

    This has to be the most sad but useful information I have heard. Sadly I was just caught in a scam similar to this. I have heard before you know of the whole Cameroon puppy scamming but I thought to myself you know I dont think people would go that low as to luring people in that cant have kids or want to adopt kids and scam them. To me it is the most disgusting thing in the world. How can you do that to someone who can not ever have kids or that will never know the feeling of carrying a baby or going through child birth how can you give them hope and then take it away from them? It is really sad. My husband and I can not have kids we have been trying for 5 going on 6years and nothing has happend. I have been in and out of the Dr they say I will be fine but obviously I am not. So one day we did a little research and found this adoption agency called Gods Grace Orphanage we spoke with this older women very kind and sweet her name was Mrs. Susanne Mayaba. She sent me a picture of this little girl her name was Katie she was such a beautiful little girl she was about 5months old. I though well this seems to good to be true because I know in US adoptions your on a waiting list for like 5yrs to get any one under the age of 2 or younger. So we held off next thing you know she emails me and says that someone adopted her but she had 3other little girls and we held off again. Then now she emailed me and has a little boy named justin that is 7months old and she wants us to adopt him. Now I am just confused because I am like is this real? well thank you for your information

    Reply
  32. AR414 Avatar
    AR414

    I have been talking to a girl from Cameroon and was dumb enough to send our marriage license and my Drivers license but not dumb enough to send them money. Do NOT believe these people they are all scams, don’t believe me google craigslist adoption scam from Cameroon, you will throw up for sure. Adopting parents aren’t stupid, we all want to help children in need. Do we really need anymore stories on the news about a child hurt or killed because the parents didn’t want them? We all want to believe the best is everyone but truth is their are some real slimeballs in this world.

    Reply
  33. Erica Avatar
    Erica

    I thought I knew a lot about scams until I happened upon online classified ads for adoptions in the distinct verbiage as that used by Cameroon pet scammers. I also found what I believe to be a website that is NOT for a legitimate adoption center in Cameroon, and that it exists solely to perpetrate advance fee fraud in the guise of adopting out children.

    When I first found the ads, I was so disgusted at the thought scammers could advertise adoption in the same way they advertise their puppy scams. Then an hour or so later I was crying. It really was disturbing (and still is because the ads are still up) & thought it was just me being overly emotional. Finding this blog validates what I still feel about the callousness of the fraudsters who firmly believe their crimes are justified, the anger that they can get away with hurting people in so many ways, and the frustration that these criminals can just keep on doing it. It IS really sickening to think about.

    I hope I can get the ads pulled & the website taken down. Criminals should not have the right to make money by inflicting pain through giving false hopes & pictures of precious little ones. It’s just not right.

    While government & victim advocates sites have a wealth of information on various scams, I don’t believe this one gets the attention it deserves. I hope to visit here again (soon) with helpful information for reporting the ‘Cameroon adoption scam’ & finding advocates for victims.

    Reply
  34. Alejandra Avatar
    Alejandra

    Yo estuve a punto de ser estafada por un tipo de Camerun que dijo ser un enfermero americano que trabajaba en una iglesia en camerun, que habia perdido a su esposa y que no podía cuidar a su hija de dos años “Brenda”, pone algunas fotos de una niña hermosa, que quien sabe de donde las sacó, y hasta te contacta con su supuesto abogado, y a pesar de que mi esposo y yo investigamos acerca de los requisitos para adoptar en camerun y no los cumpliamos, así como que no podíamos hacer tanto viaje a camerun, te terminan diciendo que ellos arreglan todo, que no necesitas estar allá y casi casi que te mandan tu hijo a tu casa, todo está perfectamente planeado, la verdad creo que mucha gente cae en sus redes y paga cantidades por niños que no existen y el daño sentimental es mayor que el económico, no se dejen engañar por un Ryan Macoy, o su abogado, o su nena Brenda de 2 años o que su mamá Jennifer murió, es una mentira a pesar de que parezca muy real, las adopciones directas en camerun no se pueden, así que no tiren su dinero. Este tipo tiene publicado su anuncio en muchas paginas de internet para ver quien cae, no dice que sea de camerun, pero una vez que lo contactas, te suelta la historia triste y te hace caer. Gracias a Dios mi esposo y yo despertamos a tiempo de la estafa.

    [Rough translation: I was about to be swindled by a type of Cameroon who claimed to be an American nurse who worked at a church in Cameroon, who had lost his wife and could not care for her daughter two years, “Brenda” puts some photos a beautiful girl, who knows from where he got it, and until you contact your lawyer of course, and although my husband and I researched about the requirements to adopt in Cameroon and failed to comply, and we could not do both travel to Cameroon, you end up saying that they fix everything, you do not need to be there and very nearly you send your child to your house, everything is perfectly planned, I really think that many people fall into their networks and pay amounts for children and there are no sentimental damage is greater than the economic one, do not be fooled by a Ryan Macoy, or your lawyer or her baby Brenda aged 2 years and her mother Jennifer died, is a lie even though they look very real , direct adoptions in cameroon can not, so do not throw your money. This guy has posted his ad on many websites to see who goes down, does not call for Cameroon, but once it contacts, you loose the sad story and makes you fall. Thank God my husband and I woke up in time to the scam.]

    Reply
  35. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    What do you think?…..

    A mother from Northern Ireland to do a Rural Development Culture study in Africa–Cameroon. Gets pregnant, then boyfriend gets in car accident when pregnant. She has to go back to N. Ireland… she is 19yrs old.. can not take care of her son. A Fr. Mario writes to me and wants to know about us… and says he has prayed that this will work out he is going to the HIGH preist??? something like that.. and she writes me in detail everyday…she sent pictures of herself and her son. What do I do? She has asked for nothing concerning…..

    Reply
  36. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    To all reading this. I have been tracking and researching my own investigation of an adoption sacm. These people are good. I believe they are a network of people. Constantly changing names and numbers, creating fake websites and yes spelling very poorly. I also believe authorities and quite possibly the embassy in Cameroon may be involved or at least turning a blind I to this. The clown that I am following is a lawyer named Paul Herman, from Cameroon. I also found connections with the UK and a man named Ashu Mpame. Good luck to all!

    Reply
  37. Sean Avatar
    Sean

    I am playing with one of these scammers right now. She says her and the baby are American citizens and the father left them to go back to America. She is over there going to school for Geology? Hmmmm she couldn’t stay in America to go to school??? hahahahaha She states that she cannot come back to the states with the baby because her parents disapprove of it. She sent pictures and you can tell they were not taken in Cameroon!!! I will let ya know how this all plays out.

    Reply
  38. Kabous Avatar
    Kabous

    Sean, what is the baby’s and the mother names? I would say the pictures of the mother and child I received are very good photo’s but I wonder where they got it. I even received a “birth certificate” of the baby. (Certified in Cameroon?) Also all the rest are the same – American, Geology, parents etc. Would love to hear from you.

    Reply
  39. James Avatar
    James

    Hello all, Its really true that Cameroon is filed with scam artists but what do we do? I am from Cameroon and i interact with these scumbags on daily basis but who do I turn them in to? The police is so reluctant about this.My advice is that you all be wise.

    Reply
  40. becky Avatar
    becky

    I have a Juan Anna trying to get me to adopt her 10 1/2 month old twins Michael and Michelle….she wants me to email the reverand of her perish at st_matthew_roman_catholic_parish@religious.com
    It is heartbreaking that anyone would do this especially to people who are desperate to become parents!

    Reply

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