[BrandyHagz]

We don’t have any hard and fast rules regarding agencies participating here – those who work for agencies are expected to follow the same set of guidelines as everyone else…however…if you do work for an agency and you post innocuous questions about the process (questions that you’d know the answers to, because you are an agency employee) that raises HUGE red flags.

Additionally – we allow our members the use of ONE user name – If you are an agency employee and you have more than one user name – again, HUGE red flags!

I am not pointing the finger at anyone – everyone who has been open and honest about the employment with an agency has done nothing wrong! Sadly, that isn’t the case for those who choose not to be open and honest about their association.

Please remember agency employees – this forum is a means of support and information for your clients – being dishonest by omission is still being dishonest.

It really frustrates me to have to post this – but red flags are red flags. Agency employees have so much to offer this site – I’m just totally confused about WHY this is even taking place.

[mattecook]

I just wish Brandy that anyone who did work for an agency would out themselves in their signature line.

Thanks for the heads up

Ami

[pez collector]

Brandy, once again you have great information!

[beachdreams]

Sad that this happens. I know that some people who worked at the rotten agency I adopted Bailey from, have aliases on here to keep track of their "clients".

Early in my process, prior to posting on here much, my coordinator admitted that to me. I have no idea what the aliases are but I know they have them.

[Shoshana]

Brandy -- I know that Becky and Mamarama are self-identified as agency people and I have the highest respect for their transparency and participation in these forums.

If forum members know who the non-identified agency reps are, would it be against the TOS to have a thread saying something like, "I have reason to believe NotAGoodDisguise is an agency rep?"

I guess it would be against the TOS to say "I believe that Adoption Agency X, Inc. posts on this forum."

[BrandyHagz]

Elizabeth,

Let's talk more about this next week.

As you can see from my signature line - I'm not here (haha).

I had a break this afternoon and made the discovery and I hate to post and run, but we are REALLY covered up with things to do here...

I'll check in next week - we'll discuss what we can and can't do (I need to think about it some)...and go from there

[poppy]

This is very discouraging to hear because being new to the world of adoption I have been taking all of the advice to heart. Now knowing that someone may be saying things to benefit their agency, or discredit another, or just shake things or someone up will make me second guess the advice.

I think of those who PMd me for agencies.... were they all honest???? Is there a way, clue, something that us newbies can look for in posts to help us determine "who is who"?

[SchmennaLeigh]

Originally Posted by poppy

I think of those who PMd me for agencies.... were they all honest???? Is there a way, clue, something that us newbies can look for in posts to help us determine "who is who"?

If someone only has negative or only positive things to say about the agency (which DOES happen), ask them what their affiliation is, when they used them, who they specifically worked with, where THEY are located, etc. If they can't or won't give you answers (or ignore you completely) that could be a red flag of its own.

[Mom2to]

Hi,

I am definitely new to this process. Mostly I can understand thread but sometimes something happens that seems like it has some important history to it that I can't understand. So I decided that I'd post to try to understand more of this issue.

I don't understand what Brandy means when she posted,

"however…if you do work for an agency and you post innocuous questions about the process (questions that you’d know the answers to, because you are an agency employee) that raises HUGE red flags."

What is the flag that it raises? That a person is disguising their identify or something else??? I am not questioning this as an important issue at all. I just really don't understand. Could someone maybe post a little background info to this issue. Thanks.

[sarareding89]

Sadly, if someone is on here behaving in the manner Brandy has described they are probably not here to help anyone.

[foxl]

I thin kthe problem is, people are creating an identity here, to gain our trust, and then posting recommendations for an agnecy with which they are affiliated, or slandering ones they are NOT with ...

Even non-posting agency affiliates also sometimes lurk here, I guess, however.

[mattecook]

Jenna
I have been burned by this by the agency that we used to adopt Emma. So now I will pm the person back with a few general issues that arised during our adoption and then give them the opportunity to ask specific quesitions which I am always MORE than happy to answer. But I got a VERY VERY mean phone call from The Agency regarding a pm sent to one of them posing as a adoptive parent. However, if they would have simply done their job I wouldn't feel the way I do so it hasn't stopped me from stating the facts as they related to my first adoption. But that was nearly a year ago and hasn't happened since.

Hang in there everybody and think about plausible solutions so that when Brandy returns we can attack the problems.

Ami

[katsco]

Having this thread today is kind of funny. Yesterday when I was talking to our agency, I questioned a few things I saw on the forum (she knows I have learned a lot from this forum) and asked if we were going to do that. Long story short...she said a lot of people don't realize when they post threads that a lot of these agencies do go on and read what is posted from time to time. I always figured our agency read these, because I always question new things I have heard on here. I guess I would never post something that I wouldn't actually say directly to her anyways.

I am sure that not all agency users are doing this. Sounds like there are a few predators (god that sounds creepy), but keep in mind that a percent of good agency users are also adoptive parents themselves and do belong on the forum. Sometimes I think some agencies use this forum as a tool to keep up with what is going on in the country. There was one thing I knew before my agency and she thanked me for forwarding it to her. It is just like everything else in life you just have to be cautious. Yes, even after my long wait for DNA I am sticking up for my agency. Not all the apples are bad in the basket.

[Mamarama]

Hi All,

Just in case some people don't know, I am the founder and executive director of an international adoption agency.

I intentionally choose NOT to identify myself as such in my signature line (which would announce it each time I post) but I do identify myself as such in my public profile.

The reason I choose to do this is to keep the line unmistakably clear between participating in the forum for the sake of participating and participating for the purpose of drumming up business.

I am definitely NOT saying that people who choose to identify themselves as agency professionals in their siganture lines, and hence in every post, have less than honorable reasons for doing so - but for me, it's the way I can be sure that I don't mistakenly advertise my agency through my forum posts.

Hope that's clear and that nobody thinks me an undercover, spying, lowlife

T

[DPline]

[quote=katsco] Sometimes I think some agencies use this forum as a tool to keep up with what is going on in the country. There was one thing I knew before my agency and she thanked me for forwarding it to her. QUOTE]

The agency I used, would sure benefit from reading here! On more than one occassion I informed them of things I learned from the Forum. But for an agency to use information people have posted or PMed against them, or post misinformation or slander other agencys - how appalling.