Daye
March 14th 05, 07:13 AM
This was in the local newspaper about an adoption gone wrong. It is
disgusting to say the least:
Source:
<http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12535348%255E2862,00.html>
Couple conned in internet baby deal
Shelley Hodgson and Nick Papps in Los Angeles
14mar05
A MELBOURNE woman has been caught in an international baby scam on the
internet.
Allyson Ball-Rizvi and Arshad Rizvi were expecting a newborn girl this
week after promises from a Californian woman.
But the devastated Melbourne couple discovered a week ago that the
child, born in late February, was a surrogate always intended for a
United States couple.
Becky Limbrick, of California, claimed she was helping them adopt from
a pregnant woman in Alabama. But Ms Ball-Rizvi believes she has been
duped.
The Reservoir couple were supposed to hand over $US4500 and have
already paid $1600 for bills and an airfare for Ms Limbrick's husband
to collect the baby.
They had already named the child Brianna Amisha and had bought
clothes, a cot, bouncer, bassinet, a pram, bottles and nappies.
"This is just so sick," Ms Ball-Rizvi said.
"There's people out there that see someone's this desperate and they
think, 'I can sucker someone'."
Ms Ball-Rizvi began speaking to Ms Limbrick through Surrogate Mothers
Online about a year ago.
Last month, Ms Limbrick told Ms Ball-Rizvi that she could help her
adopt a baby for US$4500 ($5700).
The adoption would be illegitimate under Victorian law, but Ms
Ball-Rizvi said she was unaware of this.
Ms Limbrick told her to come up with a name for the birth certificate
and she would get adoption paperwork drawn up.
In ensuing weeks, arrangements were made for Ms Limbrick's husband,
Leon, to fly from California to Alabama to collect "Brianna".
Ms Limbrick sent Ms Ball-Rizvi photos of the pregnant woman's stomach,
an ultrasound photo marked with the name Catherine Bell and a photo of
the pregnant woman and her young son.
s Ball-Rizvi transferred $1270 to Ms Limbrick and paid for Mr
Limbrick's airfare to Alabama to pick up Brianna on March 4, when Ms
Bell was to be induced. Ms Limbrick claimed she met other costs,
including paying Ms Bell's bills and birth expenses and the fare to
Australia.
Ms Ball-Rizvi was to give Mr Limbrick a further $3500 when he arrived
in Australia and the rest on a payment plan. "I thought it was a
miracle come true," she said.
But on March 5, Ms Ball-Rizvi received an email from Ms Limbrick
saying her husband was at the hospital and could not find "Cat".
The Brookwood Medical Inn in Alabama confirmed that a Leon Limbrick
stayed on March 4.
The scam was uncovered when Ms Ball-Rizvi forwarded the ultrasound
photograph to a woman she met on Surrogate Mothers Online.
Ms Bell's ultrasound picture and other photographs of her had been
posted on the internet, and her pregnancy and surrogacy agreement with
another couple was on the message board.
Ms Bell believes her identity and photos were stolen and used to lure
Ms Ball-Rizvi.
"I have been online for almost two years now and been very open about
everything and that was a big mistake," Ms Bell said. "I have never
been shy about putting any of my information out there."
Ms Bell said the first she heard of Ms Ball-Rizvi and the adoption
plan was on the internet a week ago.
"I thoroughly believe that she has been scammed," Ms Bell said.
"It's really sad."
"There's been a lot of holes in her (Ms Limbrick's) story and she
changes her story a lot."
Ms Limbrick forwarded an email from a Tracey Blackburn to Australia,
with an ultrasound photograph attached.
It listed Ms Bell's expenses to be paid. Two of the bills are on Ms
Bell's online billpay.
Ms Limbrick has repeatedly claimed that she has done nothing wrong.
Under the username "sydnee", Ms Limbrick has posted a message on SMO
warning other parents to beware of Catherine Bell: "This baby was
promised to my family and only this weekend we found out that there
was no baby . . . after staying at the hospital through the weekend
waiting for our daughter to be born."
Ms Limbrick told the Herald Sun she had not ripped off Ms Ball-Rizvi.
The 32-year-old from Murrieta, southeast of Los Angeles, said she too
was a victim of "Cat".
"She (Ms Ball-Rizvi) is blaming the wrong person," Ms Limbrick said.
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Ms Limbrick said she had planned to adopt a child from Ms Bell, but
found a baby earlier. She then helped Ms Ball-Rizvi to adopt Ms Bell's
baby.
"We are not adoption facilitators," she said. "We were just trying to
help a friend."
Ms Limbrick said she and her husband were owed some $6300 by Ms
Ball-Rizvi.
She admitted Ms Ball-Rizvi sent US$900 to her, but said when the baby
did not materialise, she offered to repay it. "She said, 'You keep
it," Ms Limbrick said.
--
Daye
Mommy to DD3 and DS1
Chump Change for Major Change
http://www.change4change.tk
disgusting to say the least:
Source:
<http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12535348%255E2862,00.html>
Couple conned in internet baby deal
Shelley Hodgson and Nick Papps in Los Angeles
14mar05
A MELBOURNE woman has been caught in an international baby scam on the
internet.
Allyson Ball-Rizvi and Arshad Rizvi were expecting a newborn girl this
week after promises from a Californian woman.
But the devastated Melbourne couple discovered a week ago that the
child, born in late February, was a surrogate always intended for a
United States couple.
Becky Limbrick, of California, claimed she was helping them adopt from
a pregnant woman in Alabama. But Ms Ball-Rizvi believes she has been
duped.
The Reservoir couple were supposed to hand over $US4500 and have
already paid $1600 for bills and an airfare for Ms Limbrick's husband
to collect the baby.
They had already named the child Brianna Amisha and had bought
clothes, a cot, bouncer, bassinet, a pram, bottles and nappies.
"This is just so sick," Ms Ball-Rizvi said.
"There's people out there that see someone's this desperate and they
think, 'I can sucker someone'."
Ms Ball-Rizvi began speaking to Ms Limbrick through Surrogate Mothers
Online about a year ago.
Last month, Ms Limbrick told Ms Ball-Rizvi that she could help her
adopt a baby for US$4500 ($5700).
The adoption would be illegitimate under Victorian law, but Ms
Ball-Rizvi said she was unaware of this.
Ms Limbrick told her to come up with a name for the birth certificate
and she would get adoption paperwork drawn up.
In ensuing weeks, arrangements were made for Ms Limbrick's husband,
Leon, to fly from California to Alabama to collect "Brianna".
Ms Limbrick sent Ms Ball-Rizvi photos of the pregnant woman's stomach,
an ultrasound photo marked with the name Catherine Bell and a photo of
the pregnant woman and her young son.
s Ball-Rizvi transferred $1270 to Ms Limbrick and paid for Mr
Limbrick's airfare to Alabama to pick up Brianna on March 4, when Ms
Bell was to be induced. Ms Limbrick claimed she met other costs,
including paying Ms Bell's bills and birth expenses and the fare to
Australia.
Ms Ball-Rizvi was to give Mr Limbrick a further $3500 when he arrived
in Australia and the rest on a payment plan. "I thought it was a
miracle come true," she said.
But on March 5, Ms Ball-Rizvi received an email from Ms Limbrick
saying her husband was at the hospital and could not find "Cat".
The Brookwood Medical Inn in Alabama confirmed that a Leon Limbrick
stayed on March 4.
The scam was uncovered when Ms Ball-Rizvi forwarded the ultrasound
photograph to a woman she met on Surrogate Mothers Online.
Ms Bell's ultrasound picture and other photographs of her had been
posted on the internet, and her pregnancy and surrogacy agreement with
another couple was on the message board.
Ms Bell believes her identity and photos were stolen and used to lure
Ms Ball-Rizvi.
"I have been online for almost two years now and been very open about
everything and that was a big mistake," Ms Bell said. "I have never
been shy about putting any of my information out there."
Ms Bell said the first she heard of Ms Ball-Rizvi and the adoption
plan was on the internet a week ago.
"I thoroughly believe that she has been scammed," Ms Bell said.
"It's really sad."
"There's been a lot of holes in her (Ms Limbrick's) story and she
changes her story a lot."
Ms Limbrick forwarded an email from a Tracey Blackburn to Australia,
with an ultrasound photograph attached.
It listed Ms Bell's expenses to be paid. Two of the bills are on Ms
Bell's online billpay.
Ms Limbrick has repeatedly claimed that she has done nothing wrong.
Under the username "sydnee", Ms Limbrick has posted a message on SMO
warning other parents to beware of Catherine Bell: "This baby was
promised to my family and only this weekend we found out that there
was no baby . . . after staying at the hospital through the weekend
waiting for our daughter to be born."
Ms Limbrick told the Herald Sun she had not ripped off Ms Ball-Rizvi.
The 32-year-old from Murrieta, southeast of Los Angeles, said she too
was a victim of "Cat".
"She (Ms Ball-Rizvi) is blaming the wrong person," Ms Limbrick said.
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Ms Limbrick said she had planned to adopt a child from Ms Bell, but
found a baby earlier. She then helped Ms Ball-Rizvi to adopt Ms Bell's
baby.
"We are not adoption facilitators," she said. "We were just trying to
help a friend."
Ms Limbrick said she and her husband were owed some $6300 by Ms
Ball-Rizvi.
She admitted Ms Ball-Rizvi sent US$900 to her, but said when the baby
did not materialise, she offered to repay it. "She said, 'You keep
it," Ms Limbrick said.
--
Daye
Mommy to DD3 and DS1
Chump Change for Major Change
http://www.change4change.tk