Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Im posting this to warn consumers against using this agency as well as for expectant mothers looking to use this agency to have your child adopted. My ex husband and I signed an agreement with Angel in 21. We learned there were mental health issues & ended our marriage. Which stopped the adoption process as it wouldnt be a stable environment for a child. We let Angel know & were told we could provide psychologist documentation & be refunded. - 23: I moved back to IL & thought I would revisit adoption on my own & contacted Angel. They told me that my ex would have to sign rights to the contract + funds spent to pursue on my own. My ex did that for them & got it notarized. I spoke with LCFS for more than 1 hr about the home study. I spoke with my therapist who helped me after my divorce as well as with my therapists who worked with my ex & I. Both advised it wasnt a stable environment for a child as Im still struggling w/ PTSD, depression etc.I let Angel know & asked them to refund me bc of the psychologist advice. I sent them the email from the psychologist + text from my current psychiatrist. They responded with we cant give a refund based on opinion of a psychologist. Which in itself is wild. I asked them to clarify & they pivoted to well we need you to be denied a home study first. I asked them to clarify they wanted to me to do a home study knowing I wouldnt be approved for a home study and the cruelty & emotional distress that would cause. As well as, knowingly try to get expectant mothers to give their baby to someone w/ mental health issues. I reminded them of the laws against this in ********* did a 180 saying oh sorry for the miscommunication + you can have a refund. Then they came back & said we cant refund you bc the check was written by your ex & the release form he gave us is for time not money. The agreement my ex signed releases the remaining time but also releases the contract to me as well. Which includes the $18,200 fee. -AVOID.

  

  Business response

  11/16/2023

  ****, we have explained to you that LCFS is happy to issue a refund, but your ex-husband is refusing. Since the payment was made by him, he legally needs to agree to the refund going to you only as you have demanded. We ask that you work out your divorce issues with your attorney and not use us as a go-between. Once you settle your disputes, we will be happy to facilitate the refund and make the check out to whoever is legally *********** the money. 

  Customer response

  11/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 20874661
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  First, I'm unsure why you are referencing divorce, as my (ex) husband and I are already divorced. Which you are aware of because I told you.

  Secondly, at your request I had him fill out the document you provided which signed over his rights to both the entire contract as well as, time left on the contract, so that I may proceed alone. That document provided by Angel was then notarized at your request. That document clearly states that it gives me rights to time left on the contract. AND gives me the right to the entire contract. 

  Point 3 in that contract is solely about the funds and on no other document signed, by myself or my ex-husband, are funds talked about. I asked you to provide that if it existed but it doesn't so you didn't send one to me. Shocker.

  If that then is the only document enforcing a no refund policy or anything to do with those funds, and the rights to that document cover those funds, those funds legally are now considered mine. 

  You cannot have it both ways. An agreement enforcing funds to be paid and used for your services, but not enforcing that same agreement when it means you have to give that money back to the consumer, is ridiculous among other things. Which is what you are attempting to do. 

  You cannot sign over a contract to another person that covers the amount of funds needed for a service and say I have the right to the entire contract (which clearly includes the funds) and say Okay, we can now render service to you, and at the same time say, Oh, but the funds are not included. You dont have rights to the funds. If that were the case, I would STILL owe you $18,200 dollars for your services.

  Lastly, the response that you've provided is unnecessary and rude and doesn't speak to any of the morally corrupt and illegal business practices that your company participated in that I called out in my complaint. 
  
  But I understand trying to make it sound like this is really about a divorce. What are you trying to do? Discredit me?
  

  Everything is in writing. There is nothing to discredit. The only thing you are discrediting is yourself. - You all should be ashamed of yourselves, truly. If the only response to this complaint is to try to make this look like a divorce dispute when I've been divorced for a year or more at this point (of which you are aware), that speaks volumes about the type of people running this company.

  The documents that I'm speaking about have been uploaded to the BBB for them to see as well.

  This business should not be in business and the bad reviews you see here are likely true. I have also filed a complaint with the Attorney General in ** and will file a lawsuit.  

  Future women thinking of taking your child here to find a family, don't do it. Go where you'll be supported. They make the process sound supportive at first but the reality is its just profit. It's not about you. They like to say theyve got adoptees working there etc, but truthfully that doesnt matter. 

  And future families thinking of going this route because it may seem easier or faster, don't do it. I know you see some positive reviews on ****** etc, but with the number of families waiting in Que (hundreds, even though they make it seem like you have to be accepted and its very select) they are bound to get a couple of those right. TBH, wouldn't you expect MORE positive reviews if they've been doing this for 25 years and are so great at their jobs?

  Also worth noting, anyone who has wanted to adopt for so long, and finally gets to, if asked, is going to write them a glowing review. Why wouldnt they?

  Go further down the page and read and take to heart how they treat people. 25 years in business doesn't always mean they're doing something right. It just means no one has called them out to the right people and they've gotten away with these practices because of it. 

  Read how they talk to the people who've complained here. They say thank you in the first sentence and then start accusing them of doing something wrong. They invalidate what's likely provable. And they don't answer to the accusations being brought. 

  I wish the people who are searching for the right place to turn to for adoption good luck and good judgment. Don't be fooled and listen to what they aren't saying and answering. 

  

  Business response

  11/20/2023

  As we've explained before, this is not a company requirement, it is a legal requirement. We understand you've been in contact with LCFS and they have explained this to you as well: Since your ex-husband was the sole payor of the program fee, LCFS cannot legally release the refund to you without his consent. As a courtesy to you, we reached out to him on your behalf to obtain consent and, as you are aware, he declined. We cannot change the law, nor are we willing to enter into a legal battle with your ex. Again, once you've resolved your legal issues, LCFS can release the refund to whomever it is determined it should be released to.
  

  Customer response

  11/22/2023

   
  Complaint: 20874661
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  First, you still havent spoken to the poor and manipulative behavior that your company participated in from my first complaint. You have continued to ignore it.

  Secondly, I just received notice from LCFS that they no longer will provide or handle refunds for your company. And that this is something you must do on your own now. Most likely because they also realize that what you are doing isnt legal or at minimum morally correct and want no part of it.

  I will hold on detailing anything further and give you a chance to provide the documents Ive requested pertaining to where the funds have been held. As well as, any documentation on the process of a refund once contract rights and funds have been signed over. As I am still waiting for that. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************* ***************;

  Customer response

  01/22/2024

  Complaint: 20874661
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Hello, I reached out to the office today and spoke with a gentleman who suggested I send an email asking to re-open the original complaint. I submitted a new complaint as I learned new information about the company fabricating documents. This needs to be made public so people know what's happening and I'd like to either submit a new complaint or re-open and post this on the original complaint. I appreciate your help and attention to this.

  Please see the BBB complaint for backstory. My ex husband signed over his rights to our contract to me w/ a document provided by AA & had it notarized at their request. I learned shortly after I shouldn't be adopting & couldn't get a home study. I then told AA about this & provided documentation from multiple psychologists. After a lot of back & forth & me explaining it was against the law to allow someone to adopt with documented mental health issues they agreed to give me a refund. Then they said my ex & I had to sign NDAs to receive the refund. My ex & I finally agreed to split the refund in half & agreed to sign the documents. We then receive the documents & our refund was for 5K each. We paid them $18,200. Their lawyer then sent an email trying to justify this by saying they did their job for us and we were shown online 85 times & in the family finder 20+ times. However, per AAs own policy adoptive families were not live on their website until a home study was complete. My ex & I had not even gotten past the first call with a home study coordinator. We never had a home visit. We never had a completed home study. AA either A. Falsified documents to make it appear they did actual work for us OR B. Put a couple online without their knowledge before they had a home study. Potentially putting birth moms in a bad situation as well as us. When i asked if they could explain how or why we were possibly shown online they just didn't answer or respond to the question. Instead, their lawyer said i was making up conspiracy theories. I attached emails from AA stating their policies & what they said to us at the time but the lawyer still had the nerve to to gaslight me. **** agreed to cancel our contract & refund us & then turned around and tried to give us half of what we paid. If they have done this to you please file a complaint w/ the ** AG. If they get enough complaints they have to investigate. Its online, quick and free to do. They need to be stopped. Thank you,

  Sincerely,

  ******************************;  

  

  Business response

  01/23/2024

  While the Company certainly empathizes with ******************** health issues and personal situation, she is aware that the Company is no longer willing to engage with her. The Company undertook significant efforts to resolve her complaints, including attempts to mediate a dispute with her ex-husband. The Company has referred her complaints to its legal counsel, who will undertake any further action or communication. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The date of transaction was March 10, 2020, in the amount of $18,200. I am writing this letter regarding a service not provided from the Angel Adoption Agency also known as Lutheran Child and ****** Services. I contacted the agency in March of 2022 and explained their service was extremely unsatisfactory. This was after they informed me that they would not be arranging an adoption for me even after waiting the two-year period. Even before signing the contract, they showed much encouragement and excitement explaining on the phone that they are in touch with hundreds of birthmothers and only accept a few clients at a time. This suggested a significant increase for the chance of an adoption. Unfortunately, this was not realistic as I eventually found out. In my opinion the encouragement and excitement from them played on my emotions, the hope of adopting a child during the two-year period, which was the reason for signing the contract. They required an upfront payment of $18,200 which I now believe was under false pretense. I contacted the adoption coordinator who was very evasive. After many dismissive excuses they eventually stopped corresponding with me and turned the matter over to their lawyer.I did not sign up to be scammed out of thousands of dollars. No one does when they sign up for adoption.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2022

  Angel Adoption helps women who are interested in placing their baby for adoption connect with families who are hoping to adopt a baby. We do that through extensive online and offline marketing and advertising strategies in order to help expectant mothers discover our services when researching their options. With more than ***** placements in 24 years, we are experts in our field.
  
  Our contract does not guarantee a placement; it guarantees adoption marketing and advertising to expectant mothers. As we have communicated in our previous correspondence with you, our contract fee is not refundable. We're truly sorry your time with us did not result in a successful placement, but we have in fact fulfilled the terms of our contract with you as evidenced by your marketing and advertising results, which can be found in the reports we sent you regularly and the fact that you were chosen by an expectant mother during your time with us.
  
  Unfortunately, when this expectant mother chose to communicate with you, you turned down the opportunity because her background included domestic violence. The circumstances that lead a woman to look into adoption vary considerably. For a family to turn an expectant mother away based on her past, whether it be domestic violence or any other reason, can make her feel rejected and unwanted. In this case, she felt rejected and it also caused her to mistrust the adoption process and other waiting families. Not only did our other waiting families miss an opportunity to work with this expectant mother, but we lost the opportunity to help a vulnerable woman with resources and choices.
  
  Again, we are very sorry that your journey with us didn't end the way you had hoped, and we wish you all the best.
  

  Customer response

  09/05/2022

   
  Complaint: 17748723
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  One placement a month out of hundreds of expectant mothers does not add up. You claim to be the experts. Your advertising which has never been documented, date stamped and provided to me after repeated requests is not worth $18,200. Most advertising is free with a few clicks on the internet. You had me fill out a form asking for gender and race requirements. Your call about "someone" interested in me, of which there is zero proof suggests that after providing you with a profile of gender etc. you asked me if I would be interested in a totally different arrangement. What was the purpose of having me fill out a profile? You are the one that said she was a victim of domestic violence. I would not know that. There is absolutely no proof that such a person existed. You presented me with a situation that could result in a possible lawsuit by the expectant father incurring even more fees. You stated that I turned her away, not possible since I had absolutely no contact with this person. If she felt rejected and unwanted it was because of your interaction with her, not mine. Blame yourselves for her feeling of rejection. How can you say it was my fault she felt rejected when she didn't even know me. Aren't there more customers who you could contact on her behalf. You are the self-proclaimed "experts" Maybe you should have been a more professional intermediary. Doesn't this process work both ways? Other waiting families were mistrusted by the person because I decided not to proceed with a totally different arrangement. What did you experts say to her to make her feel this badly Please stop playing word games and refund my $18,200. Your emails and once a quarter phone calls are definitely not worth that much money which I paid you in good faith. Your advertising claims you accept a few customers and have hundreds of expectant mothers. In my opinion you led me on until the 24-month period expired. You offered a free 6-month extension at signing at the end of the 24-month period you offered 3 months for a fee. Then changed to 3 months at no extra cost. You state families are competing against each other for an adoption. Is this to make it seem like a competition between people who don't even know each other. Your business name is misleading and mispresenting because it suggests you are only a broker with high fees,
   
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  09/28/2022

  Our team is working with ****************** directly to resolve this issue.

  Customer response

  10/02/2022

   
  Complaint: 17748723
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  The message dated September 28, 2022, states that Angel Adoptions was working directly with me to resolve the issue.

  There has been absolutely no evidence of correspondence from them regarding my full refund of $18,200.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  10/05/2022

  Someone from our legal team has been attempting to reach out to ****** directly with no response thus far.

  Customer response

  10/09/2022

   
  Complaint: 17748723
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  I did reply in a timely manner to the Angel Adoption agency with their refund offer of $3,000 which is not acceptable. Their brokering services over the two-year period consisted of eight phone calls and emails mostly in response to my questions requesting date stamped receipts for services performed. They were never able to provide these receipts.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Business committed to aggressive marketing and advertising uninterrupted during 2 year time period. Business only advertises hopeful parents on social media once. Business cannot provide itemized advertising/ marketing for last two years Business commits to limiting number of families and states only 2% don't land a successful adoption - with an average of ***** successful adoptions a year, Angel signs on over 500 families in a two year time period. All 500 families competing. Business pauses active parent profile - not outlined in contract Business lacks ethics around commitments made prior to contract signing Business disregarded COVIDs impact on Adoption numbers and claims there has been no effect on birth rates/adoption rates. Takes no responsibility despite identifying this potential issue at start of pandemic and promising complimentary extensions.

  

  Business response

  07/15/2022

  Angel Adoption helps women who are interested in placing their baby for adoption connect with families who are hoping to adopt a baby. We do that through extensive online and offline marketing and advertising strategies in order to help expectant mothers discover our services when researching their options.
  
  Social media promotion is only a small part of our overall marketing and advertising strategy. Our marketing and advertising efforts also include, but are not limited to, search engine optimization, social media advertising and optimization, pay-per-click advertising, content marketing, and networking with adoption attorneys, social workers, physicians, pregnancy crisis centers, hospitals, churches, schools, and adoption agencies. Beyond that, the specifics of our marketing and advertising strategy, as well as all other company data, is proprietary information.
  
  During your two years with us, you received four reports detailing the results of our marketing efforts: one at six months, one at 12 months, one at 18 months, and another at 21 months. As a result of our marketing and advertising, you were chosen by and communicated with three expectant mothers. At the end of your contract, you did receive a complimentary extension. We offered to continue working with you, but you never responded, so your file was closed.
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In September of 2018 I reached out to Angel Adoption to start our journey towards adoption. We were told there was a HUGE success rate of having placement in 2 years and telling us all they did made us view this as our best option since we didn't know a ton about adoption. They stated they would connect us to all the "resources", help make our profile and be there to support us. After signing so called "contract" and giving them money, I was excited to start the journey. First off they should tell someone that they should get their home study done before signing with them because you loose minimum 6 months of ability to connect with anyone and your contract already started. The first connection we got, after sending money to the agency where ** was, that agency reached out after a bit and asked what we knew about her and we didn't know much. After that agency researching into ** they stated she had not disclosed correct information to Angel (who had previously worked with them) and sent our money back because they didn't feel like it was going to be a successful and ethical adoption. The longer we were in this contract the less communication/support I felt. I would talk with ********************* and she would say one thing and do another or forget she said that. We were juggled around and started to feel like number. When we were connected last year to a ** in *************, we felt quite alone in the process and as did the ** since I ended up helping her with some paperwork. When it fell through we simply received a email asking what we wanted to do. No phone calls or empathy about what just happened. Again, ****** stated one thing and tried to back peddle eventually getting me connected with her supervisor who tried to pacify the situation by extending our contract 6 more months, ultimately ending with empty arms, broken hearts, and THOUSANDS of dollars spent foolishly. As the process went on we found out that Angel does not verify really ANYTHING about these birthmothers

  

  Business response

  05/27/2022

  Our contract specifies our services as marketing and coordination. We market to expectant mothers, we market you as an adoptive family, and when you are chosen by an expectant mother, we coordinate the services needed. 
  
  
  During your time with us, you were chosen by and communicated with three expectant mothers. It takes an expectant mother a lot of courage to reach out for information about placing her baby for adoption, and no one can ever predict what her final decision will be. We're proud to provide a safe space, free of pressure or judgement, for expectant mothers to safely explore adoption. Communicating with families helps expectant mothers make the most informed decision about what might be right for their baby and which family might be the best fit.
  
  
  We know it can be difficult when opportunities don't turn out the way you'd hoped; however, adoption is an entirely voluntary process for all involved, and that is what makes it so amazing when it does end in a placement. To have an ethical, positive adoption experience, it has to be based on the mothers own choice and free will, and we will always support the decisions that are ultimately made by all parties.

  Customer response

  05/27/2022

   
  Complaint: 17174009
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩