A tracing agency scammed me out of £4,000 and I still don’t know who my dad is
DEAR DEIDRE: I TRIED to use a tracing agency to find my biological father, but instead I’ve been scammed out of a fortune.
After my mum died, the man I thought was my father told me he had adopted me after I was born.
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My biological father had left while my mum was pregnant.
I mulled over finding him for some time, and one night, I contacted an online tracing agency. They asked for £500 and all the information I had.
They asked for more money a few times, saying they were still on the hunt.
Finally, they said they had found my dad, but he had died a few years ago. But they also found a potential sister.
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Again, they wanted more money to release the information on her.
But upon meeting her, I knew that we weren’t related – her story didn’t align with mine and we looked nothing alike.
I contacted the agency again, but they’re not answering my emails.
Now I’m £4,000 down and no closer to knowing anything about my dad. I’m 46.
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DEIDRE SAYS: I’m so sorry that this unscrupulous agency took advantage of your understandable need to connect with your biological father.
Citizens Advice will be able to advise on how you can go about getting a refund ().
If you want to continue your search I’m sending you my support pack, Tracing Someone, which lists reputable organisations that may be able to help.