Scammers Are Swapping Baby Formula With Flour And Babies Are Reportedly Getting Sick

Aug 28, 2019 by apost team

Police are investigating several cases where baby formula was swapped with flour by scammers, causing infants to fall ill. The scammers reportedly purchased baby formula, which is expensive, swapped the formula with flour and then returned it to the store to claim a refund.

The exact number of victims has until now not been made clear by authorities. 

According to NBC15, parents did not notice the formula had been swapped until after their children got sick. Madeline Rock told the publication that her 9-month-old daughter Adeline started vomiting, crying and refused to take her bottle. 

“She was a completely different baby," she said. "She was throwing up throughout the day passing a lot of gas ... I just knew something was wrong."

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Rocque eventually realized something was off with the formula she bought from a local store. 

"I looked at the milk and I realize something's definitely weird, the color is different, the texture was different," she explained. "And then when I poured it the bottle into the sink I saw how it got, that's when it hit me. I saw how it clumped up and I'm like oh my god my daughter's stomach is just the same or worse."

The mother immediately contacted the store, where clerks told they’re policy is to never restock shelves with returned items, but are nevertheless investigating the incident.

According to the publication, this was not the first time an incident like this had occurred. Last year, a couple from Arizona was arrested after their baby-formula crime ring was uncovered by police. They reportedly had earned up to half a million dollars through their crimes. Another woman pleaded guilty in 2017 for swapping baby formula with a mixture of flour and sugar and then returning it for a refund. 

Another woman who had also fallen victim to the scam said last year:

"It was very clumpy at the bottom none of it had poured out," she said. "Then I noticed the color and consistency was off."

"You don't know they're allergic if her throat had closed up from a gluten reaction." 

“It's happening and it's not right," said Roque.

To stay safe, the outlet suggests checking that the packaging is sealed and has not been tampered with. Additionally, when mixed with water, the formula should dissolve so if it doesn’t, that could be a warning sign. 

Have you ever heard of this or a similar scam? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!