Are all reviews about surrogacy agencies real? The truth behind online reviews

In the digital age, any company’s online reputation can be made or broken with a few words written in a review. This is especially important in sensitive sectors such as surrogacy, where prospective parents invest not only their money, but also their hopes, emotions, and deep desire to start a family.

Unfortunately, many of the reviews circulating on the internet about surrogacy agencies are not true. They are often written by people who have never undergone such a process themselves or had any direct relationship with the agencies they are writing about. In reality, these are orchestrated attacks by unfair competitors, unscrupulous lawyers, or ideological groups opposed to surrogacy, whose sole objective is to discredit the companies that lead the sector.

This article aims to alert prospective parents to this situation, explain how to identify fake reviews, and emphasize the importance of not being swayed by everything you read online without at least some critical analysis.

Unfounded reviews: when criticism is not based on experience

One of the clearest signs that a review is false is a lack of direct experience with the surrogacy process. It is surprising how many so-called “testimonials” come from people who say they have “heard,” “read,” or “known someone who had a problem,” but who do not claim to have been intended parents or to have hired the services of the agency they are criticizing.

These types of reviews are often based on rumors, assumptions, or generalizations. They do not contain any real details about the process, names, dates, or coherent explanations. In many cases, they repeat similar structures, ambiguous phrases, and emotionally charged language without any concrete facts to back them up.

Review platforms such as Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and open forums are easily manipulated and do not always have effective mechanisms in place to verify whether the person writing the review has actually used the service being evaluated. This has opened the door to organized smear campaigns.

Unfair competition: agencies attacking others to attract customers

Some of the most flagrant cases of fake reviews come from intermediary agencies that have no real operational capacity, no staff of their own, and no offices in the countries where surrogacy takes place. Unable to compete in terms of quality, experience, or infrastructure with established companies such as Gestlife, these pseudo-agencies resort to attack as a marketing strategy.

These “agencies” are usually made up of individuals who, after having gone through the process themselves, set up a business as supposed experts. However, they lack their own programs and simply act as commission agents who connect prospective parents with a local clinic, with no control or responsibility over the process.

Since they cannot offer any real added value, they choose to tarnish the reputation of their direct competitors by publishing or commissioning negative reviews, spreading rumors, and trying to cast doubt on the solvency, legality, or ethics of reputable agencies in the sector.

The BIOTEXCOM case: a network of lies hired

One of the most notorious scandals in this field involved Biotexcom, a Ukrainian company that went so far as to hire writers in Algeria to write fake reviews and fabricated testimonials against other agencies.

The case was uncovered by journalists from Algerie Presse, who discovered that the company was posting job ads on local portals such as Emploitic, looking for people to write supposedly real “reviews,” when in fact they were fictional texts designed to manipulate public perception.

You can read the full article here:
Ukraine: Biotexcom recruits liars on Emploitic

This case highlighted how some companies are willing to do anything to discredit their competitors, even at the cost of deceiving families and manipulating an issue as sensitive as surrogacy.

Intermediary lawyers: no processes of their own, but plenty of defamation

Another group that has frequently resorted to fake reviews is that of some lawyers in Spain who, without any direct experience or specialized training, present themselves as “experts” in surrogacy.

These lawyers, who in many cases have been trained by agencies such as Gestlife, act as covert intermediaries. In other words, they do not manage the process themselves, but refer their clients to other agencies in exchange for a commission. They have no structure, do not travel to the country where the surrogacy takes place, and have no contact with the clinics or the surrogate mothers.

Since their only way to attract clients is to generate mistrust towards established agencies, they devote themselves to publishing unfounded criticism, making insinuations, or sharing articles with biased information, pretending to be the “safe alternative.”

When you find that a lawyer or agency, out of the blue, starts talking badly about another agency, always ask yourself, “What does the messenger gain?” Instead of telling you about the benefits of their agency, do they have to tell you gossip and rumors about another agency in order for you to value theirs?

Journalists with an ideological agenda: subsidies to attack surrogacy

In certain countries, especially in Europe, there are ideological groups opposed to surrogacy. Unable to legally stop the processes that take place abroad, these groups choose to demonize agencies that operate legally in countries where surrogacy is regulated.

In many cases, journalists who share these ideologies receive public subsidies or support from political parties to disseminate content that is opposed to surrogacy. Seeing that attacking the process itself does not have the desired effect (as more and more families are successfully turning to it), the new target becomes discrediting the agencies.

These newspaper articles often mix unverified data, anonymous testimonies that are impossible to verify, and biased statements designed to generate fear and mistrust. But upon closer examination, the ideological intent behind the “information” is quickly apparent. They follow the premise of bad journalism: “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

How can you identify a fake review?

To avoid falling into the trap of manipulated opinions, it is important to read critically. Here are some tips for detecting potentially fake reviews:

1. No direct experience: if the author does not clearly state that they have been part of the process, be wary. Someone who has had a bad experience will give details of what happened to them. No vague generalities.
2. Vague or repetitive language: terms such as “I’ve heard,” “they say,” “I was told” do not lend credibility.
3. Lack of details: no dates, countries, clinic names, or specific information about the process.
4. Excessive drama: seeks to provoke fear or emotional rejection without verifiable facts.
5. Many negative reviews in a short period of time: this could be a coordinated attack.
6. Identical reviews on different platforms: this indicates professional writing rather than real customers.

What to do if you find negative reviews?

1. Investigate thoroughly: look for other sources, speak directly with the agency, and ask for real success stories.
2. Ask for references: reputable agencies can put you in touch with families who have already completed the process.
3. Check the agency’s achievements and structure: a company like Gestlife, with 196 employees in 18 offices in 11 countries, has a reputation built on hundreds of successful processes.
4. Follow the trail of criticism: you will often find that it comes from fake profiles, accounts with no history, or people linked to competitors.
5. Be wary of sensationalism: serious companies don’t need to exaggerate. Criticism without data often hides bad intentions.

Conclusion: not everything you read on the internet is true

In a sector as sensitive as surrogacy, where not only a family’s financial resources are at stake but also their life plan, it is essential to be well informed and not be swayed by malicious comments.

False reviews, smear campaigns, and organized attacks are a reality that affects even the most reputable agencies, precisely because they are market leaders. What some present as “customer reviews” are often marketing strategies disguised by unscrupulous competitors or ideological actors who do not accept surrogacy as a valid option.

Before making such an important decision, do your research, ask questions, compare options, and always seek first-hand information. Don’t put your dream of becoming a mother or father at risk because of an anonymous review on the internet.