Surrogate conned desperate parents with fake pregnancy

Woman conned a couple into believing she was carrying their surrogate baby.

The Sun have reported Samantha Brown faked a pregnancy and sent the parents ultrasound scans to con them into paying her more than £8000 ($16,600) in fake expenses.

She then pretended to have lost the baby in a crash and even sent her victims a photo of a “stillborn” infant to back up her lies.

Benita and Mark Cutter had been desperate for a baby and after advertising online for a surrogate they were contacted by Samantha Brown.

The con artist later told them she had successfully conceived using Mark’s sperm and in the following months sent them updates on her hospital check-ups, scans and antenatal classes.

Benita, 49, and Mark paid a total of £8307 into Brown’s account for “expenses” including maternity clothes and travel.

They agreed to up the amount when Brown said she had lost her job owing to “complications” with the pregnancy.

Soon before her due date the Cutters were told Brown was in an induced coma after a car accident and had lost the baby.

Brown even sent a picture she claimed she took on her mobile of the stillborn child.

But they thought the baby in the picture looked asleep rather than dead and its swaddling was not the type used in hospital.

The couple phoned the hospital where Brown was supposedly being treated only to be told there was no record of her.

Brown’s lies were laid bare at Inverness Sheriff Court as she admitted defrauding the couple.

Prosecutor Roderick Urquhart said of the Cutters: “Everything else had been tried by the couple and surrogacy was their last option. It appears they were desperate for a child and perhaps consequently were a little gullible,” Prosecutor Roderick Urquhart said of the Cutters.

“They came into contact with Brown via an advert they had placed on the internet seeking the assistance of a surrogate. Brown offered her services and in due course the Cutters travelled to Tain where they met both Brown and her then partner.

“As the pregnancy progressed the Cutters were sent what purported to be scan images of the unborn child and were told of Brown’s visits to antenatal classes et cetera.

“It was established that all the Cutters had been told was false. Brown had never been pregnant; she had not attended any antenatal classes; had not been in a car crash; had not delivered a dead child; had not lost any wages; and had not incurred the expenses she had claimed and obtained from the Cutters.

“It would appear that the financial loss incurred by the Cutters paled almost into insignificance compared with the heartbreak, anguish and despair they suffered when they realised not only that they were not to become parents, but that they had been the victims of a calculated and callous fraud.”

Those poor people just wanting the joy of being parents. I hope their dream does come true!

Share your thoughts below.

43 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 19 Oct 2021
    12:32 pm
Such a disgusting thing to do. Playing with peoples emotions like that.

- - mom112217 said
  - 19 Mar 2016
    1:08 pm
A very low act, l can’t understand how people can behave like this!

- - mom160421 said
  - 02 Mar 2016
    5:40 pm
Hopefully this couple will get to be parents some day. As for the fake surrogate, what do you say about a person like that?

- - mom156049 said
  - 22 Feb 2016
    9:18 am
How shallow xan someone be to take advantage of the longing to have a child. I sincerely hope this couple gets the child they have been longing for

- - renae said
  - 20 Feb 2016
    12:43 pm
That is absolutely disgusting. Who could do such a thing!

- - curlytops said
  - 19 Feb 2016
    11:44 am
some people are so sick. poor parents their dreams shattered.

- - welshmummy said
  - 10 Feb 2016
    11:18 pm
How horribly cruel of her to do this. That the trouble with people like this they always find the most vulnerable people and feed off them.

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 31 Jan 2016
    9:54 pm
there are scammers everywhere – what a crazy mixed up person she is

- - Nas01 said
  - 23 Jan 2016
    10:32 am
How sad. I think you really have to be evil to con people who so desperately want children. Anyone who uses others weaknesses to their own advantage is seriously mean.

- - youngoldlady said
  - 22 Jan 2016
    1:08 am
This woman has only made it harder for people who want children to trust other people. Hopefully if they do it again or anyone else does they get it done officially and some real proof of what is going on. Glad the fake has been named and shamed so she can not con others.

- - tessie said
  - 21 Jan 2016
    10:45 am
Only a callous person would do this to someone desperately wanting a child. I hope they have success and end up with a child but I think next time they should see if a police check can be done. Good luck to them

- - mom91861 said
  - 21 Jan 2016
    7:21 am
This woman has no moral compass, I hope she has no children of her own that live with this inhumane person.

- - mom161840 said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    3:23 pm
Absolutely disgusting.. How could she live with herself
- mom94125 replied
  
  22 Jan 2016 , 6:21 pm
  yeah absolutely saddening that people will take advantage of others this way
- - rovermum said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    11:40 am
This is so despicable. Preying on desperate people. There is absolutely no justification for this and surely criminal charges must be laid. What is wrong with people?

- - Lizbef said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    9:00 am
How low can you get?! I feel so mad for this couple and can’t imagine the dissapointment they’d be feeling. I hope they find someone soon

- - risshabear said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    2:12 am
What a heartwrenching thing. Those poor parents having enough dramas getting pregnant and then to go through the heart ache again. Shame on the con woman. Surrogacy alone is such a difficult thing. Think of all the same sex couples that are trying to make a family. What if it were the same scenario. It doesn’t leave many option not faith in Surrogacy for same sex couples or couples having difficulty getting pregnant. There needs to be less transparency with these things.

- - mom134803 said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    1:44 am
My heart goes out to this couple who’re so yearning for a child and then to be betrayed in this way !! Praying for a miracle and God’s favor over this couple, that they may conceive and get a child of their own.

- - mom64736 said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    12:16 am
Surrogacy needs to be properly legislated and monitored to make sure both parties get what they bargained for. It’s such a horrible act to deceive people in this way too.

- - aprilb1 said
  - 20 Jan 2016
    12:06 am
That’s terrible! What an awful person.

- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 19 Jan 2016
    11:09 pm
What a disgusting human being. That poor couple. I hope karma serves her big time! Such a horrible thing to do