Chad Bryan, Staff Reporter

Pregnancy or children-related scams appear to be making the rounds in St James, Montego Bay, according to some administrative personnel at medical clinics in the parish.

The scam works by women claiming to be pregnant in order to solicit undetermined sums of money from a lover or just about anyone who is convinced to support the fictitious pregnancy.

According to one of the two women in separate medical clinic administrations with whom THE WEEKEND STAR spoke and who requested anonymity, about two months ago, a woman claimed to be pregnant and tried to get money.

"She went to church pretending to be pregnant, claiming that she didn't have any money for food, and the church people had to be giving her money for food, but she really wasn't pregnant," the woman said, stating that this incident happened along St James Street in the parish.

The other one said she had a neighbour who used her child to solicit money from her lovers. This happened a few weeks ago.

"I have a neighbour; she actually has the child, but gives it to more than one father. None of them really knows whose child it is. In the morning, she would send the child to one father, then in the evening another one, and then the following day, another. The three or four-year-old doesn't really know who his father is," she said.

The Barnett Street police were unaware of such a practice as one policeman said it was the first time he had heard anything of this nature.