Thousands of breastfeeding moms sent naked photos and videos to 'scamming' lactation consultant on Facebook - as they fear she plastered their vulnerable images on dark web
- Thousands of women fear they were targeted on Facebook support groups
- A fraudster posing as a lactation expert convinced them to send naked photos
Vulnerable new mothers fear they have been scammed into sending naked photos and videos of themselves breastfeeding to a fake 'lactation consultant' on Facebook.
A new report by the Chicago Tribune has revealed thousands of women across the US say they were targeted in postpartum support groups set up by a fraudster posing as a lactation consultant named Cathy Marie Chan.
Chan convinced mothers to send her topless photos and videos of themselves under the guise of 'assessments' and help with medical concerns.
When members of the group became suspicious about her qualifications, Chan suddenly deleted all of her profiles and the groups were archived.
Now the victims, who have formed a 1,000-person support group, fear Chan was scamming them for sexual purposes, with one mother saying: 'She could have sold them. She could have put them on the dark web. She could have done anything.'
Now the victims, who have formed a 1,000-person support group, fear Chan was scamming them for sexual purposes
Christina Gonzalez, 35, was targeted by Chan and said she felt 'hurt' and 'betrayed'
There were at least 17 groups set up by Chan, according to one victim, with tens of thousands of members between them, discussing postpartum care, breastfeeding and pumping issues.
Chan was the creator and administrator of the groups and would contact new mothers over Facebook Messenger saying she could give them medical advice.
She would then reportedly encourage the women to send her photos and videos of themselves topless, touching their breasts or breastfeeding.
Sometimes she told women to make sure their faces were in the photos, under the guise of wanting to monitor their faces for signs of pain.
With one woman who was worried about a vaginal prolapse, Chan offered to perform 'a quick assessment of your vagina with you'.
A few women on the groups became suspicious following what they saw as unusual and sexual requests from Chan and researched her online.
When they could not find corresponding certifications, they began to ask questions and Chan's profiles disappeared.
The women then flocked to a new support group, called 'FAKE Cathy Marie Chan Victim Discussion Group'. By Monday, it had over 1,000 members.
As the women shared their experiences in the group, they began to piece together a pattern of strange requests.
One woman wrote: 'In a vulnerable time where you have so many questions & need guidance in the middle of the night this 'woman' was taking advantage of so many women.
'We don't know if it's a man or what but either way I'm disgusted that I sent that woman anything.
'She also offered to do virtual vagina assessments (now I would never cause at that point I'd know something was up) but this world is so sick I'm just in shock about it still.'
Some of the women have reported Chan to the FBI, who told the Tribune: 'Scammers regularly target society's most vulnerable citizens during times of increased stress, and lactation scams certainly follow this established pattern.'
They are also gathering receipt information from any women who paid Chan for her 'services'.
The women do not know what Chan did with their photos.
Christina Gonzalez, 35, of northwest suburban Des Plaines, told the Tribune she sent Chan a video of her breastfeeding her twins after Chan said it would help her educate other mothers.
Screenshots seen by the Tribune show Chan messaged Gonzalez saying, 'If you could just record that first like minute or so as you get them onto the breasts and then the minute or so of you getting them off. I think I'd love to learn from you on how to easily get them on and off.'
Chan would reportedly encourage the women to send her photos and videos of themselves topless, touching their breasts or breastfeeding (stock image)
As the women shared their experiences in the group, they began to piece together a pattern of strange requests (stock image)
Gonzalez sent her the video and thought no more of it, until she started seeing posts questioning her Chan's real identity.
When she realized Chan was not who she said she was, Gonzalez said: 'It might even be like a group of people. It might be a guy. It might be a girl. We don't even know.'
She added: 'That's the scariest part... Because she could have sold them. She could have put them on the dark web. … She could have done anything.'
One of the group members, Nicole Santana, a registered nurse and IBCLC in Rockford, told the Tribune that she emailed Chan to ask about her credentials.
Chan replied saying that she had started training but never finished and admitting she had 'inflated [her experience] in some places'.
In the email she said: 'First of all, I apologize. What I did was wrong.
'In an attempt to feel better about myself and feel helpful, I created this so I could stop being a stay at home and feel like I was actually working and helping others. My husband won't let me work so I needed some outlet.'
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