Paternity is an important factor when it comes to asserting your rights to a child as the father. Having your paternal rights enables you to be a part of your child’s life.
In some cases, you may wish you are the father of a child and may even think that you are, but test results show you are not. While that means you cannot assert parental rights, it also means you do not have a financial obligation to the child.
Paternity fraud
For this reason, some women may take steps to commit paternity fraud in an attempt to get the paternity results they want. Women Against Paternity Fraud explains that this occurs when a woman claims a man is the father of her child when she knows he is not.
Effects
When a mother wrongly makes claims about the father of her child, it leads to child support orders that are unfair. You should not have to pay child support for a child who is not legally yours.
The actual father and the child both lose out, too. They do not get to be a part of each other’s lives.
Nothing happens to a mother who commits this fraud. It is not an actual crime. However, it hurts everyone involved and can lead to resentment.
Prevention
Fortunately, you can combat paternity fraud by getting a DNA test. You may have to pay for it yourself, but it is well worth it when you consider the expense of paying child support for 18 years for a child who is not yours.