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Adoption Network Law Center (ANLC) is an agency for adoption. Their policy is that you pay for phase 1. Then when you are "matched" with a birthmother, you pay phase 2. Well, the birthmother I was matched with changed her mind. They refused to give me my money back! $9800.00! They said it will roll over into the next match, but there hasn't been one! I am so upset with this agency! I have gone in to see them (they do the majority of their business online) and they refused stating that it is stated in the contract that all money paid is considered earned. I would not do business with them EVER!
It is actually not an agency but they present themselves as one. They have one lawyer on staff and is hard to get a hold of. She is not at all involved with the adoptive parents who are on board and often hires out for law services.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
In 2000 this business took $7500 from us with the promise of an adoption in a short amount of time ( usually 12 months) . Once they had our money they all but ignored us. This place should be put out of business. Stay away from them. They are crooks.
unfortunately I'm in the same boat. We were matched with a birthmother, who within only a week, changed her mind. also out 9800 dollars. :( still trying to be hopeful we will have another match.
I've researched this company, and it looks like ANLC is just the latest incarnation of Adoption Network, founded by the Gindi's in the 1990s. In 2006, the Orange county DA sued them for $100, 000.
http://www.orangecountyda.com/home/index.asp?page=8&recordid=449
&returnurl=index.asp%3Fpage%3D8%26pagenumber%3D4%26pagesize%3D
300%26deptid%3D%26archive%3D0%26sl_month%3D12
Note that the address of ANLC is 23161 LAKE CENTER DR STE 210
And in 2009 Allan set up shop in an office next door at
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ADOPTION RIGHTS
(c/o ALLAN GINDI) 23161 LAKE CENTER DR STE 220
http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organizations/lake_forest_ca_92630.asp
we had $20, 000 stolen from us. I have had them investigated and the Gindis still own ANLC they have them hidden thru legal paperwork, the person running it is related to an orange county district attorney, isnt that cozy, they have so many lawyers working for them they are impossible to sue and the poor unfornutates who sue them end up footing the bill for ANLC lawyers and are sued for filing false complaints against ANLC and in the end the victims loose every cent they have and the lives they way they know them. There are hundereds of cases of victims being ripped off. There is even a file with the FBI on the Gindis. We just all got suckered, we lost our entire life savings and will never have a child becuase of them. They destroyed our lives forever!
I would like to hear from everyone regarding their bad experiences with anlc as we have had bad experiences also. Maybe we could help each other and prevent further heartbreak.
Does anyone have a name or suggestion for an attorney in Orange County CA who has successfully sued ANLC and Pro Media individually or class action law suit against the above?
I just spoke with ANLC today as I was supposed to have a phone consultation but wanted to cancel out of a sense that something just wasn't right with the organization. And boy was I right. When I asked about costs, the woman I spoke with hesitated for a bit and then said "well it really depends on what race you prefer the baby to be, if you take a baby that is mixed heritage it may only be $9800 especially if it is a child of both black and white heritage, but if you want a Caucasian baby you pay $16, 000". I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Doesn't that sound like child trafficking? Why would you charge different rates for different babies?! And when I told her I wasn't interested any longer, she kept trying to "sell me" on the idea! This is a disgusting business and I hope that someone can find a way to bring them down.
Don't use these people. They ripped my wife and I off for $14, 500. In their contract they want you to supply photos of yourselves in various settings. They want 65. We sent them over 200 and they liked one. ONE! Ridiculous! We ended up after over a year came into hard times with paycuts and could no longer afford a baby. We asked for a partial refund considering the time they spent on it. Got a big fat no...to bad for you. Thanks for the big bank account. Contract is pretty tight. They don't care about prospective parents wanting kids nor the birthmothers. Just their big payday. I wish there was some hotshot lawyer out there that would like to bring these jack wagons down.
My husband and I had a horrible experience and lost $9, 800. We were insulted by a staff member. Matched with a special needs baby that they didn't fully disclose was special needs. You can see full details of our complaint and how they treated us at http://adoptionagencyreviews.com/agency.cfm?agencyid=139 Look for the Yankee entry.
Awful experience with them from the other direction. Was considering adoption as the best choice for my son and contacted them. Told them exactly what I was looking for in potential adoptive parents. They would send me these profiles of couples they must have been desperate to place a child with...because none of them were even close to what I told them I wanted. I felt like they were just trying to force me to pick people that could not have been more opposite then me...plus they were literally on the other side of the country. Not what I asked for at all. Ended up finding a couple I liked on my own that they had listed...and went forward. They never asked me if I was considering parenting...never asked me about my support system...never asked if i was getting any form of therapy. I was probably high risk to not go through with the adoption considering I was in college, had zero drug or alcohol use, and came from a wealthy family who was supportive of whatever decision I made...but I never got the chance ahead of time to work through my situation and my feelings with anyone. I was pregnant from a date rape that left me emotionally unable to cope with the concept of actually raising a child. They just called once a week to make sure I still wanted to go through with it and then the conversation was over. Of course I ended up parenting after my son was born and I was firm in that decision within hours of him being delivered . The social worker at the hospital was wonderful and totally not related or paid in any way from ANLC...she told me right away that if I had any doubts at all I should call it off. So I called ANLC and told them I had changed my mind and would not be moving forward with adoption. The person who was supposed to be MY advocate at the agency basically freaked out. Told me I was being selfish, that I would not graduate from college, that the potential adoptive parents had driven 10 hours and were waiting in the hospital to see their child and I was ruining their life. I mean really...she tried to make me feel as awful as possible about changing my mind. She had the couple call my room multiple times over the next two days to try and talk me out of it...she asked to speak with my parents to see if maybe I was in denial...my mother hung up on her after she started to get rude. She told me what the couple was going to name him, that they just wanted to go and talk to me in person so I could see their pain, pretty much everything to try and make me feel even worse. They told me they could take custody of my son for a couple weeks while I figured things out. Everything. Well my parents ended up helping me take control of the situation and told them they would be suing for harassment if they could not stop calling my hospital room and cell phone. It is three years later and I have since graduated cum laude from college two years ago with double major...went on to get a great job...got engaged to a wonderful man...and am now ready to buy a house at age 24. My son is very loved, cared for, and surrounded with family and friends. I will never forget how I was treated by ANLC. I will never forget feeling like I was a means to an end...and that end being money. I still feel awful to this day for that couple...I feel like we were both screwed over. I wish more women who were in crisis pregnancies could be supported by non bias counselors first and adoption agencies second. What are you supposed to do when you are young, scared, and don't know any better? You look for an easy way out...or whatever seems like the easiest way out. Probably the worst experience of my life with someone who was supposed to be advocating for me.
This ANCL is completely brutal. They take lots of money from couples that have excellent living standards and long to have a child to love and care for. They have reworded their contract enabling them to keep all the money even if there is never an adoption. They have thousands of waiting couples waiting with broken hearts and never to see any of their thousands of dollars returned. The worst is these families get so close over and over . They get totally prepared for this child and ANLC shuts the door in their face. It is the worst type of fraud, crushing thousands of decent people.
Dear WI/NEorinbetween : I am researching adoption agencies/law centers, yet to choose one, but after reading your complaint I feel I need to comment. I typically don't comment on anything, but I feel very strong about your situation. First, I'd like to say that I agree 1, 000% that you have every right to keep your baby and I want to be clear. I have a biological child and understand the connection, but am looking to adopt for my 2nd. My issue with your complaint is that you called ANLC...they did not knock on your door...you asked them for help...they offered it...and you gave hope to a couple who wants nothing more than to be parents...and then destroyed thier dream, bringing them to a lower place than they were before. What do you think is going on here? I'm sure they freaked out because they are so fed up with people like you, who don't take this seriously. These adoption agencies/law offices are advocates for both sides and what you did was terrible. I know a few people who have been through this process and the birth mother has changed her mind, which she has every right to, but then why not wait until AFTER the baby is born to make a decision on whether or not want to give up your child for adoption rather than look for some possible ways out months ahead of time and play with people's emotions. You clearly don't understand the emotional trauma that go into years of trying to have a baby without success and then have the rug pulled out from under you in this situation. This is not a game.
Coming from a birthmother, this is the absolute horrible agency ever. They make the birthmother change their minds, after all the mis-information, i did not trust these idiots with my baby. They are liars, imposters, posers, and horrible heart breakers.
My wife and I joined in 2011. High hopes just like everyone else. In the begining everything seems they call you all the time, they even stated our hits and resume were requested the most in their history. The staff comes and goes . As for the offers there bad ecspecialy if you live outside of california. We had more offers of drug, missing limbs, aids babies its sad . The last offer everything sounded good we thought a real winner sent the 9800. spoke to the birth mother, got her email planned a pre visit . The agency provided a backround check. Here's the problem was the bm name misspelled . Well the internet is a easy place to uncover the truth . There was a reason why she mispelled her name she was was a felon found a active arrest warrant from dade county sheriff . I spoke with him . Facebook also revealed alot of the scheme she was up to. I confronted the agency sent all the proof to the lawyer . There responce we dont do a through backround check based on the bm privacy. As for the money only got 4500 back . So i always been in contact with my social worker on this she had a bad feeling on this also. Funny 2yrs and no where out 19k and counting . My story continues after all of this I told my social worker if she had any leads let us know, you can contract more than 1 agency 2weeks later i have a little girl . (perfect) .Dont do any bussiness with ALNC HEIDE DIEGUEZ money is their bussiness and damage babies are yours
As a birth mother F this place and Ellen! Worst place ever!
$750 for rent.- Always LATE!
$300 for food - with two kids to feed? Late again...and still waiting.
no money for clothes?
Always out of office?
Come on! I should of chose abortion so I didnt have to go through so much stress! And support my kids instead of my bills are all behind now since i'm unable to work and no disability money yet.
Our experience wasn't ideal but it wasn't nearly as bad as mentioned in these comments. My suggestion is thoroughly read the contracts, do exactly what they ask for the profile and pictures and do it when they ask. This organization is a business and not a nonprofit. To have a good relationship with them, be extremely proactive, stay positive and keep the faith. Ultimately, we wewere satisfied but understand this organization is a business and has a superior marketing and outreach service, that's what you pay for, not the follow-up service. Know that going in.
I just started working with ANLC in April of this year, 2015, I've provided all information. Had all homestudy info done and presented at time of presentation. Once I met my media consultant I had done a photo shoot and sent over 250+ pictures. They e done one website. My YouTube profile, 8 1/2x 17 glossy print. But I did have the media consultant email me and request MORE PICTURES to do 2 more websites. I did email them back and told them with 250 + pics that they have MORE THAN ENOUGH PUCS TO DO 6 websites and other social media advertising. Haven't heard back from my media consultant.
Readi g these concerns from clients & birth others I'm very concerned!
I have had an awful experience with Rainsbowsend adoption agency. The beautiful thing that I felt I was doing was stripped from me. I was told to lie about the father of the baby and everything that was done was all about money. Has anyone else had this experience with this agency?
Yes, this is all correct. Was an employee at one time. Left rapidly when the smoke cleared.
I worked very hard for Allan and Carol and was astounded at how this all turned out...deceit. I am an honest person, and this was horrid finding out what they were about.