In a society where a woman’s value is often linked to her role as a mother, many Nigerian women face immense pressure in bearing children, putting some at risk of exploitation. For many women struggling with infertility, this societal pressure results in social exclusion, emotional distress, and difficulties in personal connections. Many of them, eager to meet these expectations, resort to alternative methods for motherhood. Unfortunately, this sense of urgency has led to a troubling Scam that exploits women’s vulnerability to cryptic pregnancy fraud. This fraudulent scheme offers false hope, pretending to be a miraculous fertility solution that assures pregnancy results.
Victims are drawn in by supposed medical professionals who use pseudoscientific claims and emotional manipulation to convince them of the treatment’s efficacy. In reality, the process is merely a heartless trick aimed at taking advantage of women’s aspirations for motherhood, all while lining the pockets of the fraudsters involved. The scam begins with initial treatments that include injections, drinks, or substances inserted into the vagina, each costing millions of naira. These concoctions often induce physical changes, such as a swollen stomach, which further convinces victims that they are pregnant.
Social media fuels and amplifies the spread of this deceptive practice.
Meanwhile, the scammers warn their clients to avoid conventional doctors or hospitals, claiming that traditional scans or tests will not detect the pregnancy because the baby is supposedly growing outside the womb. As the deceitful pregnancy progresses, the scammers escalate their requirements. They present the necessity for costly medications to ensure a safe birth, asserting that without these, the infant could face nutritional deficits, or the pregnancy might perilously last longer than nine months. The actual delivery is orchestrated using unsettling techniques, such as drugs that induce a state of confusion in the woman. Victims awaken to find a baby in their arms, believing they have given birth.
The scam thrives in secrecy, facilitated by Social Media platforms and closed online groups. Facebook groups dedicated to cryptic pregnancy and miracle treatments are filled with posts hailing the process as a divine solution for infertility. Scammers engage in discussions within these spaces, pretending to offer support while spreading falsehoods. Women showing curiosity are directed into exclusive WhatsApp chats, where they’re provided with elaborate directions and plans for their alleged therapies. This Misinformation ecosystem strengthens women’s belief in scams. Religious language and fabricated medical claims create a feeling of legitimacy, convincing victims that their journey is both miraculous and beyond the scope of conventional science. Such narratives often include claims of pregnancies lasting years, making the falsehoods harder to challenge.
Steps are being taken to put an end to this fraudulent practice.
Aside from the material and financial damage, the Fraud uncovers a darker aspect of abuse. Exploited infants play a crucial role in facilitating fake pregnancies. Deceivers target naive, vulnerable young women, with some being forced into giving away their children. In one instance, a raid in Anambra State uncovered pregnant minors, many of whom had been misled or intimidated into handing over their babies. In an investigation conducted by BBC, Uju one of the scam victims was approached by those scammers with a monetary offer for her child. Also, Chioma thought she was engaged in a genuine medical procedure. After struggling for years to get pregnant, she asserted that she had been pregnant for 15 months due to the treatment she received.
It wasn’t until her in-laws expressed their doubts that she uncovered the truth behind the deception, leading to an official inquiry by the authorities. Authorities in Nigeria have been working to dismantle these operations through raids and public awareness campaigns. In one instance, a clinic operating out of a dilapidated hotel was uncovered, with dozens of women waiting to receive “treatment” from a self-proclaimed doctor. The operation revealed not only the scale of the fraud but also the extent to which victims are manipulated and deceived.
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However, addressing the fraud requires more than enforcement. The societal pressures that fuel these schemes must be tackled. Women facing infertility should not bear the weight of stigma or judgment. Efforts must focus on promoting Education around reproductive health, reducing stigma, and encouraging alternatives like adoption. Reproductive healthcare reform, including access to fertility treatments and Family Planning resources, is also essential to breaking the cycle of exploitation. Unless these fundamental issues are resolved, vulnerable women will persist in being targets of this heartless deception.