“Early on, she was just certain with no she wasn’t talking to anyone else, I was the one, she wanted me to raise her baby,” Chrissy Thompson recalls. “And I just thought, oh my goodness this is a dream come true.” 

However, Thompson’s attempt to adopt a child soon turned into a nightmare. Through a message board for surrogate moms, a Wisconsin woman willing to give Thompson the child she was bearing contacted her. It wasn’t long before the woman we’ll call “Melissa” began asking for money.

Thompson says, “Like it was her air conditioner in her apartment, her and her son were burning up. So of course, I went out and bought an air conditioner online and had it shipped to her.”

Cell phone bills, medical emergencies, the money needs continued until Thompson was scheduled to fly to Wisconsin for Melissa’s second ultrasound. That’s when she called to say she miscarried and the baby was gone.

Thompson continues, “I was devastated. I thought the baby had died. My mother was thinking quicker than I was and she said get the phone number of the hospital, find out what hospital. And we called later on and she was not listed at that hospital.”

It was two years later, when Thompson finally learned she was not the only person who thought they were adopting a child from Melissa. As many as 20 others were involved.

Thompson says a woman simply trying to scam people out of their money, stole 20 dreams. Right now, Thompson doesn’t know if she will ever adopt a child.

“It’s a gamble, it’s big risk. You have to put your faith in someone,” she says. “And I don’t know of I’m ready to do that or not.”

To hear more about the victims, tune in for “Dr. Phil” on Today’s THV at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday for their story.