A deeply troubling scam known as the ‘cryptic pregnancy scam’ has come to light in Nigeria. Preying on women facing societal pressure to conceive, this fraudulent scheme misleads women into believing they are pregnant through fake treatments, ultimately delivering trafficked babies as their own. Investigative reports by the BBC have exposed the extent of this cruel exploitation, which thrives on cultural stigmas and desperation.
The Scheme Unveiled
The scam involves fake clinics run by fraudsters posing as medical professionals. Women, desperate for children, are lured into these setups and offered “miracle fertility treatments” that promise impossible results.
False Promises and Deceptive Practices
The so-called treatments include expensive injections, herbal drinks, and substances inserted into the body, which often cause physical changes like bloated stomachs, making women believe they are pregnant. Victims are told to avoid conventional doctors as “no medical test can detect” the baby, which they claim grows outside the womb.
One victim revealed to the BBC that she believed she carried her baby for 15 months after undergoing these treatments. The bizarre timeline raised suspicions among her family and led to investigations that uncovered the fraudulent operations.
Fake Deliveries
When it’s time for “delivery,” women are made to pay for rare and costly drugs, sometimes amounting to millions of naira. During the delivery, they are often sedated or given hallucinogens, leaving them with trafficked babies that they believe they have birthed.
Inside the Fake Clinics
Uncovering the Operations
An undercover investigation by BBC Africa Eye exposed one such clinic in Ihiala, Anambra State. Run by a scammer known as “Dr. Ruth,” the clinic operated out of a dilapidated hotel. Fake ultrasounds, conducted to show imaginary fetuses, were part of the elaborate deceit. Women were charged hefty amounts, with initial treatments costing 350,000 naira ($205) and delivery drugs reaching up to 2 million naira ($1,180).
A Carefully Staged Performance
“Dr. Ruth” went to great lengths to convince her clients, celebrating their supposed pregnancies with ceremonies and fake medical records. This facade further strengthened the victims’ belief in the process, leaving them emotionally and financially drained.
The Trafficking Connection
Authorities have linked this scam to organized baby trafficking networks. Vulnerable pregnant women, often teenagers, are coerced or tricked into giving up their babies.
Forced Confinement and Exploitation
In a raid conducted on a facility in Anambra, several pregnant women, some as young as 17, were rescued. These women were held against their will and manipulated into surrendering their newborns. The trafficked babies were then handed over to women deceived by the cryptic pregnancy scam.
The Dark Network
This underground network exploits both ends of the social spectrum—trafficking babies from vulnerable women and delivering them to unsuspecting victims desperate for motherhood.
Authorities Crack Down
Efforts are underway to dismantle these fraudulent operations and rescue the victims.
Government Action
Commissioner Ify Obinabo of Anambra State has been at the forefront of cracking down on such clinics. She has overseen raids, rescued women trapped in these scams, and exposed the network of fraudsters.
Societal Challenges
However, Obinabo warns that societal stigmas around infertility and adoption play a significant role in sustaining such scams. In cultures where infertility is often seen as a failure or curse, women feel pressured to go to extreme lengths to have children, making them easy targets for exploitation.
The Need for Change
Awareness and Support
The cryptic pregnancy scam highlights the need for greater awareness about infertility and ethical support for women struggling with it. Legal adoption and fostering need to be destigmatized to prevent such exploitations.
Community Involvement
Societal attitudes must evolve to embrace childless couples and support ethical solutions like adoption. Only then can these scams be eradicated.
You Learn
The ‘cryptic pregnancy scam’ in Nigeria reveals a devastating cycle of exploitation rooted in societal pressure and cultural stigmas. While authorities continue to crack down on these fraudulent operations, true change can only come from addressing the deeper issues of infertility stigmatization and lack of awareness. Until then, countless women remain vulnerable to these cruel deceptions, and trafficked babies continue to be exploited in this sinister trade.
This investigative revelation serves as a wake-up call to tackle not just the scammers but also the systemic issues enabling such atrocities.
