DNA Paternity Test in Cameroon: the complete guide to the home kit

This guide is long on purpose. It is meant to answer the questions that come before, during and after the test. You do not have to read it in order. Use the contents on the left, or the map below.

If you only have two minutes

Read the quick reference chapter near the end, then the frequently asked questions. They carry the facts that matter: the price of 130,000 FCFA, what it covers, the eight steps, the three rules and the contact numbers.

If you are deciding whether to test

Start with the chapter on why families choose a private test, then take the one-minute quiz in the chapter on who can be tested. Read the chapter on private knowledge and court, the chapter on consent and the chapter with questions to ask yourself. Take your time. There is no deadline.

If you have decided and want to order

Read the chapter on placing the order and paying with Mobile Money, and use the small form there to write your WhatsApp message in ten seconds. Then read the chapters on shipping and handover, so that you know what to expect.

If you already have the kit

Go straight to the chapters on activation, on collecting the specimens correctly and on common mistakes. Use the checklists. Then read the chapter on the dispatcher's collection.

If you are waiting for your package or your result

Read the chapters on the journey to the United States and the laboratory, on step 8 and on how to read a report. If something seems wrong, the troubleshooting chapter lists what to do at each step.

If you are helping someone else

Read the chapters on arranging the test from abroad, on the perspectives of father, mother and relative, and on talking to a family. They are written with helpers in mind.

If you are worried about privacy

Read the privacy chapter, the digital safety chapter and the chapter on staying safe with payments and messages.

If something about your situation is unusual

Read the chapter on special situations. If yours is not there, write to us on WhatsApp. We prefer to answer your real question.

Questions about who a child's father is rarely come from nowhere. Sometimes a man has doubts after a separation, a long trip abroad, a rumour in the family or a comment he cannot forget. Sometimes a mother wants to settle a question that has hung over her family for years. Sometimes a young adult wants to know where they come from. Whatever the reason, living with a doubt is heavy, and it often becomes heavier the longer nobody speaks about it.

A private DNA paternity test exists to replace doubt with a clear answer. It is done at home, with painless cheek swabs, without needles and without a visit to a clinic. The people involved decide when and how to do it, and the result belongs to them. That privacy is the main reason families in Cameroon, and Cameroonians living abroad, choose this route.

This guide is written for people who are considering the test and want to understand it properly before they decide. It explains how the test works, what is inside the kit, what you must do on the day of collection, how the package travels from Douala to the laboratory, and how the result reaches you. It also covers the sensitive parts: consent, children, confidentiality and how to talk to the people concerned.

Nothing here is meant to push you towards a decision. A paternity test can change how people see each other, so it deserves calm thought. If you read the whole guide and still have questions, you can write to us on WhatsApp and we answer in English or French.

The practical side

For many families the practical obstacles are as real as the emotional ones. A laboratory visit can mean travel, time off work and questions from people who should not know. A test bought abroad may never arrive, or may arrive without a way to send the samples back. The service described here removes those obstacles: the kit is shipped to Cameroon, handed over in Douala, collected from you when the specimens are ready, and sent onward to the laboratory by TCB Shopz.

One price covers all of it. In this guide, whenever we say that the price covers everything, we mean exactly this: the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, collection of the finished specimens by our dispatcher, shipping back to the TCB Shopz office in the United States, forwarding to the laboratory, and the laboratory results. The price is 130,000 FCFA and you pay it with Mobile Money.

Who this guide is for

You may be a father who wants certainty, a mother who wants to settle a question, a guardian looking after a child, or a relative helping someone who does not know where to start. You may be in Douala, in Yaoundé, in another city, or abroad and arranging the test for family at home. The explanations are written in plain language. Technical words are explained when they first appear, and there is a short glossary near the end.

If you are in a hurry, the short version of this page is on the main DNA kit page. If you want to understand everything before you spend money, keep reading.

Every person is built from a set of instructions called DNA. You receive this DNA from your parents: half from your mother and half from your father. That simple fact is the whole basis of a paternity test. If a man is a child's biological father, then half of the child's DNA must have come from him. A laboratory can check whether that is true.

Almost all of our DNA is the same from one person to another. What differs are certain positions along the DNA, called markers, where the pattern varies a lot between individuals. Paternity laboratories look at many of these markers. At each marker, a child carries two versions: one inherited from the mother and one from the father. The laboratory reads the pattern at each marker for the child and for the alleged father, then compares them.

How the comparison works

Imagine each marker as a line on a form where two entries are written. The child's form has one entry copied from the mother and one copied from the father. When the laboratory compares the child with the alleged father, it asks a simple question at every marker: does the child have an entry that could have come from this man?

If the answer is yes at every marker the laboratory checks, the man is not excluded and the combined evidence points strongly to him being the father. If the child has entries that the man does not have, at several markers, then he cannot be the biological father. Laboratories describe the first case as an inclusion and the second as an exclusion. Your report states which one applies and gives the supporting figures.

Why cheek swabs are enough

Inside your cheeks there are loose cells that carry your complete DNA. Rubbing a clean swab against the inside of the cheek collects thousands of these cells. The collection is painless and takes about a minute for each cheek. Blood is not needed, and neither is any special preparation, apart from avoiding food, drink, smoke and tooth brushing for an hour beforehand so that nothing contaminates the cells.

The cells dry on the swab. In the laboratory the DNA is released and read. This is why the kit asks you to let the swabs dry in their envelope for thirty minutes before you seal it, and why you must use only the swabs supplied in the kit.

What the test cannot tell you

A paternity test answers one question: is this man the biological father of this child? It does not tell you about health, character, ethnicity or anything else. It does not tell you who the father is if the alleged father is excluded, because that would require testing other people. And it is only as reliable as the samples it receives, which is why the instructions about collection are strict and why this guide spends a full chapter on them.

The kit sold by TCB Shopz is the Genetrace DNA Paternity Test. It arrives in a sealed pouch, and it is designed so that a person with no scientific background can use it correctly by following the printed instructions. It contains exactly five things.

The instructions

A printed booklet explains each step in order. It tells you to activate the kit online first, how to collect the samples from each person, how long to let the swabs dry, and how to seal the envelopes. Keep it open next to you on the day of collection and read each line before you act. Most mistakes happen when people rely on memory.

The kit activation card

The activation card carries a code. You use it on the laboratory's website, genetrace.com/activate, to register your kit before you collect any sample. This step matters because the laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated. Keep the card safe, and include it in the package when you hand it over.

Two specimen envelopes

There are two paper envelopes, one for the alleged father and one for the child. Each envelope is labelled so that the samples are not confused. You put the two swabs of each person into that person's envelope only. You never mix the envelopes, and you never put one person's swabs into the other person's envelope.

Four mouth swabs

The kit contains four mouth swabs, two for each person. They are sterile and individually wrapped. Use only these swabs. Do not replace them with cotton buds, tissues or anything else from home, because other materials can ruin the sample or add foreign material.

A return envelope

The return envelope is for the finished specimens. When the swabs are dry and sealed in their own envelopes, they go into the return envelope. In the service described here you do not post it yourself: our dispatcher collects the package from you and TCB Shopz takes it onward.

What you do not need

You do not need a doctor, a pharmacy, a nurse or a laboratory visit. You do not need to bring anything from home except a clean place to sit and a clock. You do not need to send the samples abroad yourself. Everything after the specimens are ready is handled for you.

The Genetrace DNA Paternity Test is for one alleged father and one child. Both of them must give a sample. A child cannot be tested alone, because the laboratory compares the child's DNA with the man's. If only one of them is tested, there is nothing to compare, and the kit cannot give an answer.

The alleged father

The alleged father is the man who may be the biological father. He must agree to give a cheek swab. The test cannot be done without his sample. If he is not available, for example because he has died, lives far away or refuses, this particular test cannot go ahead. Genetrace offers other tests, such as grandparent tests or sibling tests, with extra fees. They answer related questions in different ways. Ask us on WhatsApp if you want to know whether one of them could fit your situation.

The child

There is no age limit. Even newborns can be tested, because the swab is gentle and the DNA is complete from birth. For a child, the consent of a legal guardian is required. The guardian may be a parent or another person who has legal responsibility for the child. If the child is now an adult, the adult gives their own consent.

The mother

In most cases the mother does not need to be tested. The comparison between the child and the alleged father is enough for the laboratory to reach a conclusion. This is a common point of surprise, because many people assume that all three must be tested. For this kit the standard answer is that testing the mother is usually not needed. If your situation is unusual, ask us on WhatsApp before you order.

Other relatives

If a man cannot be tested, people sometimes ask whether his brother, father or other relatives can stand in. The answer is that this kit compares one alleged father with one child. Other relationships belong to different tests, and the laboratory has to decide which one fits. Do not send samples from other people in the same envelopes: it will invalidate the test.

This is the most important point to understand before you order, so it has its own chapter. The home kit is for private knowledge only. It is not for court. If you need a result to be accepted in a legal procedure, this kit is not the right tool.

What "chain of custody" means

When a result is used in court or by an authority, the authority needs to be sure that the sample really came from the person named. To guarantee that, the sampling is witnessed by a third party who checks the identity of each person, watches the swabbing and seals the samples. The record of who handled the samples, from the collection to the laboratory, is called the chain of custody.

A home kit has no such witness. You collect the samples yourself, in your own home, and nobody independent confirms who was swabbed. The laboratory can measure the DNA perfectly well, but it cannot prove whose DNA it is. For that reason, the result of a home kit is for your own knowledge and cannot serve as legal evidence.

When the distinction matters

If you only want to know the truth for yourself and your family, the home kit is designed for you. If a court, a registry or another authority is involved, or may be involved later, speak first to a lawyer or to the authority about the procedure they accept. Doing that before you buy a home kit saves money and avoids disappointment.

Why we repeat this everywhere

You will see this warning on the main page, in the frequently asked questions, in the portal and in the messages we send you. We do this on purpose. A test result that people expect to use in court but cannot is a painful surprise, and it is easy to prevent by being clear from the start.

From the moment you decide to the moment you read your result, the process has eight steps. Four of them are done by you and four by us, and you always know which one comes next. Here is the whole path in one view before we go through each step in detail.

What you do and what we do

You make the payment with Mobile Money. You activate the kit. You collect the specimens. You tell us when the specimens are ready. Those are your four actions, and each one takes a few minutes. Everything else, namely shipping the kit to Cameroon, handing it over in Douala, collecting the package, sending it to our office in the United States, forwarding it to the laboratory and delivering the result through the secure portal, is done by TCB Shopz and its partners.

How long does each part take

The laboratory part is quick: results come in 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples. The shipping time is separate and is not included in that figure. The time for the kit to reach Douala is communicated to you on WhatsApp, because it depends on flights and customs. We prefer to give you a real date when we have one, instead of a promise we cannot keep.

Where you can see progress

If you create an account on our systems portal, you can see the status of your order at every step, from payment to results, in English or French. You can also follow your order without an account by entering your order number and your e-mail. Either way, you are never left guessing where your package is.

Ordering starts with a message. You write to us on WhatsApp at +1 555 971 6317, or you create an account on our systems portal and place the order there. Either way, the price is the same: 130,000 FCFA for one kit, and it covers everything described in this guide. There is no second price to discover later.

Paying with Mobile Money

Payment is by Mobile Money. After you place the order, we send you the payment details on WhatsApp, so you pay the right account and nobody else. When you have paid, you send us the transaction reference from your operator's confirmation message. Our team checks the payment and confirms your order. In the portal you can enter the reference yourself and watch the status change from "awaiting payment" to "payment confirmed".

Please pay only through the details we send you on WhatsApp from our confirmed numbers. If someone you do not know asks you for money in the name of TCB Shopz, do not pay, and write to us at the numbers on this page.

What the price covers

The price covers the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, collection of the finished specimens by our dispatcher, shipping back to the TCB Shopz office in the United States, forwarding to the laboratory and the laboratory results. You do not pay a separate fee for the handover, for the collection or for the results.

Several kits in one order

If you need to test more than one child, or more than one family situation, you can order several kits. Each kit tests one alleged father and one child. The portal lets you choose the number of kits and shows the total before you confirm.

Order by message in 10 seconds

If you prefer WhatsApp, use the little form below. It writes the message for you. You only need to press send.

Discreet packaging

If privacy matters to you, say so when you order. The kit already comes in plain packaging, and we can request discreet packaging on the order. In the portal there is a box to tick for this. The request is noted on your order so that the team handling the handover knows.

Once your payment is confirmed, we ship the DNA kit to Cameroon. This is our own part of the work, and you do not need to do anything while it travels. The status of your order in the portal changes to "kit on its way to Cameroon", and we keep you informed on WhatsApp.

The delivery time

We communicate the delivery time to Douala to each customer on WhatsApp. We do not print a fixed number of days on the page, because international shipping depends on carriers, flights and customs, and these change. When we know when your kit will arrive, we tell you. When it arrives, you are notified.

The handover in Douala

When the kit arrives in Douala, you are notified and the kit is handed to you. The handover city is Douala. We contact you on WhatsApp to arrange where and when, so please keep the phone number on your order active. If you live in another city, tell us when you order, and we will explain what is possible for your location.

What to check at the handover

When you receive the kit, look at the pouch. It should be sealed and undamaged. If it looks opened or damaged, tell us immediately on WhatsApp before you use anything. Do not open the pouch in the street. Take it home, to a calm place, where you can read the instructions without interruption.

In the portal, the order status becomes "kit handed over" and the next action appears: activating the kit.

Why we hand it over in person

A paternity kit is a sensitive item. Handing it over personally, in Douala, lets us make sure that the kit reaches the person who ordered it, and not someone else. It also gives you the chance to ask a question face to face. For many customers this human contact is part of why they trust the service.

Before you collect any sample, you must activate the kit. This is the one rule that people most often forget, and the consequence is serious: the laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated. If you test first and activate afterwards, you risk having to start again.

How to activate

Open genetrace.com/activate in your phone or computer browser. Enter the code printed on the kit activation card, and follow the instructions on the page. The activation is quick. When it is done, keep the card, because you will hand it over with the package.

The address to remember is genetrace.com/activate. Type it exactly as written. If you land on a different site, close it and try again. We also keep this link on every page of our DNA kit information so that you can find it easily.

Why activation matters

Activation links your physical kit to your record at the laboratory. When the samples arrive, the laboratory looks up the kit code, finds the activation, and knows how to process the samples and where to send the result. Without it, the laboratory has no record of who the kit belongs to and cannot proceed.

Confirming in the portal

When you have activated the kit, tell us. In the portal, press "I activated my kit" on your order page. The status becomes "kit activated" and the next step opens: collecting the specimens. If you do not use the portal, send us a WhatsApp message and we update your order.

If the activation page does not work

If you have any difficulty, for example a poor connection or a code that is not accepted, write to us on WhatsApp with a photo of the activation card, hiding nothing except part of the code if you wish. We will tell you what to do. Never try to guess a code or ask anyone else to enter it for you.

This is the step you do at home, and it is the step where care matters most. The instructions are short, and following them exactly gives the laboratory the best sample. Read this chapter once, then read the booklet in the kit, then start.

One hour of preparation

For each person to be tested, nothing must go into the mouth for at least one hour before collecting. That means no eating, no drinking, no smoking and no tooth brushing. Food particles, drinks and toothpaste can contaminate the swab and weaken the result. If someone has eaten recently, simply wait. There is no rush.

The swabbing, person by person

Wash your hands and sit comfortably. Take one swab for the first person. Rub it firmly inside the right cheek for 30 seconds, then inside the left cheek for 30 seconds. Each person has two swabs in the kit, and the booklet explains how they are used. Do this separately for each person. Use only the swabs that are in the kit.

For a baby or a young child, ask a second adult to help, keep the child calm and gentle, and do the swabbing slowly. It does not hurt, but a restless child needs patience. Never force a swab into the mouth.

Drying and sealing

After swabbing, place the swabs in the envelope for that person and let them dry in the envelope for 30 minutes. Do not blow on them and do not touch the tips. After 30 minutes, seal the envelope.

Keep the envelopes apart

Each envelope belongs to one person. Do not mix the envelopes. Do not put the child's swabs in the father's envelope or the other way round. If you are tired or interrupted, stop and check which envelope belongs to whom before you continue.

Tick the list as you go

The checklist below follows the instructions. It remembers your ticks on this device only.

Most failed tests are not caused by the laboratory. They come from small errors during collection. Here are the mistakes we most want you to avoid, with the reason behind each one.

1. Testing before activating the kit

The laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated. Always activate first, at genetrace.com/activate.

2. Eating, drinking, smoking or brushing too soon

Anything in the mouth in the last hour can contaminate the cells. Wait at least one full hour.

3. Using your own swabs

Cotton buds and other home objects are not designed for this. Use only the swabs in the kit.

4. Swabbing for too short a time

Thirty seconds on each cheek is not long, but it feels long when you watch the clock. Time it. A short swab collects fewer cells.

5. Mixing the envelopes

If the envelopes are mixed, the laboratory will compare the wrong people. This is the most serious mistake and it cannot be corrected after sealing.

6. Sealing the envelope too early

Swabs that are sealed while still wet can grow mould or bacteria. Give them the full thirty minutes in the envelope before you seal.

7. Touching the tips of the swabs

Fingers carry their own DNA and germs. Hold the swab by the handle only.

8. Collecting in a hurry

Create a quiet moment. A rushed collection, with children crying and phones ringing, is where mistakes happen.

9. Losing the activation card

The card is part of your kit. Keep it with the package.

10. Not telling us the specimens are ready

Our dispatcher can only collect the package when you tell us it is ready. Send a message as soon as the envelopes are sealed.

11. Opening the package again

Once the envelopes are sealed and handed over, do not open them or add anything.

When your specimens are ready, you let us know. In the portal, you press "my specimens are ready" and enter the address and the phone number where our dispatcher can reach you. On WhatsApp, you simply send us a message. Our dispatcher then contacts you to arrange the collection and comes to you to collect the package.

Before the dispatcher comes

Check that both envelopes are sealed, that the return envelope and the activation card are together with them, and that your phone is on. Use the "before the dispatcher comes" checklist in step 5, so that nothing is forgotten when the dispatcher arrives.

What the dispatcher does

The dispatcher collects the finished package from you. The collection of the finished specimens by our dispatcher is covered by the price: you do not pay for the trip. After the collection, the status of your order becomes "package collected" and you can see the progress in the portal.

Your privacy at the collection

The dispatcher works for TCB Shopz and knows only what is needed to collect a package: your name, a phone number and an address. The dispatcher does not see the content of the envelopes and has no access to your results. If you have a preference about where to meet, tell us when you arrange the collection.

What if you are not available

If you cannot be there at the arranged time, tell us as early as possible. We find another time. The specimens are dry and sealed, so a short delay does not harm them, but do not keep them for weeks. Send them on as soon as you can.

After the dispatcher collects your package, it begins its journey. TCB Shopz ships the package back to our office in the United States, in Laurel, Maryland, and from there we forward it to the laboratory. Both legs are covered by the price. You do not pay for the return shipping, and you do not need to fill in any customs form.

What you can follow

In the portal, the order status moves through three short stages: "on its way to our US office", "received at our US office" and "sent to the lab". Each change is written in your order history with the date and time. If you gave us your e-mail, you also receive a message at the main stages. If you use WhatsApp, we write to you there when something important happens.

Why a US office

TCB Shopz is based in the United States, in Laurel, Maryland, and already ships parcels between the United States and Cameroon in both directions. Using our own office as a relay means that your package is handled by people who know it, with a tracking record, rather than being posted anonymously and left to chance.

How long this takes

The time for shipping is not included in the laboratory's 1 to 2 business days. It depends on flights, customs and the day of the week. We do not promise a fixed number of days on the page. We communicate the timing to you on WhatsApp as the package moves, and the portal shows each stage as it happens.

Will the sample spoil on the way

A dry, sealed sample is stable. The instructions ask you to let the swabs dry for 30 minutes precisely so that the specimens travel safely. The sealed envelopes are placed in the return envelope, and the package is not opened between your home and the laboratory.

When the laboratory receives the samples, it processes them and publishes the result. Results come in 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples, through a secure online portal. Shipping time is not included in that timing.

How you receive the result

The result is published by the laboratory on its secure online portal. We tell you when it is available, and we help you to open it if you need help. The result is private. TCB Shopz does not store results in its own system, and the order portal only records the status of your order. If you ever feel unsure about how to log in to the laboratory's portal, write to us on WhatsApp and we guide you step by step.

What a business day is

Business days are Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays at the laboratory. If the laboratory receives your samples on a Friday afternoon, the 1 to 2 business days start counting on the next working day. This is why the exact date of a result depends on when the package arrives.

Reading the result at the right moment

Many people open the result alone, in a hurry, on a phone, in a public place. We advise you to choose a calm moment, in a place where you can react freely, and ideally with someone you trust nearby. The result may confirm what you hoped, or it may not. Either way, take a breath before you open it.

After the result

When your result has been delivered, our team marks your order as "completed". You may keep the laboratory's report for yourself. Remember that it is for private knowledge. If you later need a result for a legal procedure, you will need a different kind of test with a witnessed collection, and you should speak to a lawyer about it.

Each laboratory presents its report in its own format, and your report is the reference. This chapter gives you the general ideas so that the numbers and words do not feel foreign when you see them.

The two possible conclusions

A report concludes either that the alleged father is excluded as the biological father, or that he is not excluded and is therefore the biological father with a very high probability. The first conclusion appears when the man and the child do not share the expected markers at several positions. The second appears when every marker is compatible.

The markers table

Most reports show a table with the names of the markers in one column, then the pattern for the child and the pattern for the alleged father. Each pattern is shown as two numbers. You do not need to read them as a specialist. The important thing is that, for a father who is included, the child's two numbers always contain one that the father also has.

The probability of paternity

When a man is not excluded, the report usually gives a figure called the probability of paternity, which is a percentage. It expresses how strongly the evidence supports paternity compared with an unrelated man. When the evidence is strong, the figure is very close to 100 percent. The precise value is stated on your report, and we do not quote any number here because it depends on the case and on the laboratory.

What the report does not say

The report does not say anything about the mother, about other relatives or about how the child was conceived. It does not carry a legal status, because the sampling at home is not witnessed. If a result surprises you, you are entitled to ask the laboratory, through us, how it should be read.

Keeping the report safe

Store the report where only you can reach it, and think about who should see it. A result that stays private cannot be misused. A result shared in anger can hurt people who did nothing wrong.

A DNA test involves a person's most personal information. Respecting consent is a moral rule, and it is also a condition of this service. This chapter explains who must agree, and what to do if they do not.

Adults

Every adult who is tested must agree. The alleged father must agree to give his swab. Nobody may be swabbed in their sleep, by trick or by pressure. Taking someone's DNA without their knowledge is not what this kit is for, and we do not support it.

Children and minors

A child's sample needs a legal guardian's consent. The guardian may be a parent or another person who has legal responsibility for the child. The guardian should understand why the test is being done and agree to it. Because the test involves a child, we ask you to confirm this when you order. In our portal, the order form includes a statement about private use and guardian consent, and you must confirm it before the order is placed.

What if the guardian does not agree

If the guardian does not agree, the test should not go ahead. A test done against the will of the person responsible for the child can damage trust, create family conflict and, in some situations, create legal difficulties. If you are unsure about who has legal responsibility for the child, speak to a lawyer or to a family counsellor before you order.

Newborns and babies

Even newborns can be tested. For a newborn, the guardian is usually the mother or the person who has legal responsibility. Take extra care with the swabbing: be gentle, take your time and make sure the baby is calm.

Adult children

If the child is an adult, the adult is the one who gives consent. An adult may decide to do the test together with their father, or on their own initiative, but in either case both must agree to give a swab.

People who order a paternity kit are often worried about privacy. That worry is reasonable. In this chapter we describe exactly who knows what at each stage, so that you can decide with full information.

What TCB Shopz knows

To deliver the kit and handle the order, we know your name, your phone number, your e-mail if you give it, the city and the details for the handover, and the status of your order. We do not know the result. The result is delivered by the laboratory in its secure online portal, and our order system does not store it.

What the dispatcher knows

The dispatcher knows your name, a phone number and an address, because that is what is needed to meet you and collect the package. The dispatcher sees a sealed package, not what is inside it, and has no access to your result.

Plain packaging and discreet requests

The kit is delivered in plain packaging. If you want extra discretion, you can request discreet packaging when you order. We note this on your order so that the people handling it respect your request.

Your account

If you create an account on the systems portal, only you see your orders. When you track an order without logging in, the page shows only the status and the history. It does not show your name, your phone number or your e-mail. A person who knows an order number cannot see it unless they also give the e-mail or the last digits of the phone linked to the order.

Data protection rights

You can ask us to export or delete your account and order data. In the portal there is a button in your profile for this, and you can also write to contact@tcbshopz.com. When we erase an account, we also erase the orders linked to it.

Your own care

Privacy also depends on what you do. Do not post photos of the kit or of the result online. Do not forward the laboratory's e-mails. Do not discuss the order in family groups. A result that you decide to share later is your choice. A result that leaks is difficult to take back.

Behind every test there are people with feelings. The best preparation for a DNA test is not technical, it is human. This chapter does not tell you what to decide. It offers a few ideas that many families have found useful.

Before you test

Ask yourself what you will do with each possible result. If the result confirms paternity, what changes, and what stays the same? If it excludes it, what do you intend to do next, and who will be affected? People who think about this beforehand react more calmly afterwards.

Speaking with the other person

If the test involves another adult, such as the mother of the child or the alleged father, honesty usually serves better than secrecy. A test imposed by surprise often creates anger that lasts longer than the question itself. If you cannot speak directly, consider asking a trusted elder, a religious leader or a family counsellor to help.

Thinking about the child

A child is not a prize or an evidence file. A child needs stability, love and respect, whatever the result. Think about how any decision will affect the child's daily life, school, friendships and sense of belonging. If the child is old enough to understand, adults often find it helpful to consider what the child needs to hear, and when.

When the result is difficult

A result that you did not expect can bring grief, anger or relief, sometimes all at once. Give yourself time before you act. Do not make big decisions the same day. If you can, talk to someone you trust, and consider professional support. A family counsellor or a social worker can help people to move through this period without causing more harm.

When the result is a relief

Many results confirm what the family hoped. The relief can be strong, and it may bring up memories of the doubt. A word of gratitude and a clean page can help everyone to start again.

The Genetrace DNA Paternity Test needs a sample from the alleged father. If he cannot give one, this test cannot be done. This chapter explains what remains possible.

Why the father's sample matters

The test compares the child directly with the alleged father. A relative's sample is a different kind of evidence. It cannot replace the father's sample in this test, and the laboratory cannot treat a brother or a parent as if he were the father.

Other tests exist

Genetrace offers other tests, like grandparent tests or sibling tests, with extra fees. These tests look at different relationships. A grandparent test compares a child with the parents of the alleged father. A sibling test compares two people who may share a parent. They answer different questions and they involve different numbers of people.

How to choose

The right test depends on who is available and what you want to know. Rather than guessing, ask us on WhatsApp. Describe the situation in your own words. We tell you which test fits, whether it is available, and what the extra fees are. We do not put prices for those other tests on this page, because they depend on the test.

A note about legal questions

If the situation is about inheritance, nationality, custody or any legal procedure, the home kits are not the right route, because they are for private knowledge only. In those cases a lawyer can advise which procedure an authority accepts, and which laboratory and sampling method it requires.

Be patient with yourself

When a father has died, or lives far away, or has cut contact, the lack of a test can feel like a closed door. It may be that another test helps, or that the answer comes in a different way. There is no shame in taking time to explore the options.

People often ask how reliable a home DNA paternity test is. The honest answer has two parts. The science of comparing DNA markers is very strong. The reliability of a particular result depends on the quality of the sample and on the care taken in the laboratory. You control the first part, and the laboratory controls the second.

The science is strong

Comparing DNA markers between a child and an alleged father is one of the most established uses of genetics. When all markers are compatible, the evidence supports paternity very strongly. When several markers are incompatible, the man is excluded. The tests are designed so that these two outcomes are clearly separated. Your own report states the exact figures for your case.

The sample is the weak point

Almost every unreliable result in home testing can be traced to a collection error: a swab touched by fingers, food in the mouth, envelopes mixed, or a kit that was not activated. This is why the instructions are so exact and why this guide repeats them. If you follow the steps in the booklet, you give the laboratory the best chance of a clean result.

Why swab collection by yourself is still private only

Even a perfectly collected sample cannot be proven to come from the person named, because nobody witnessed it. That is the reason why the result is for private knowledge only and is not for court. The limit is not about accuracy. It is about proof of identity.

How we protect the chain between your home and the laboratory

We cannot give a home sample a legal chain of custody, but we do keep a clear record of the journey. Each stage of your order is logged with a date: package collected, on its way to our US office, received, sent to the lab. The envelopes stay sealed and are not opened by us. If something looks wrong at any stage, we tell you immediately.

Be careful with copies and look-alikes

Be wary of anyone who sells paternity kits without any information about the laboratory, the activation, or the way results are delivered. A genuine service tells you who the laboratory is, how to activate, how long the results take and how the results are delivered. In this service, the laboratory is Genetrace, you activate at genetrace.com/activate, results take 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples, and the results are delivered through a secure online portal.

Alongside WhatsApp, we offer a customer portal at systems.tcbshopz.com. It is optional, and it is free. It exists so that you can follow your kit without waiting for a message, in English or in French.

Creating an account

You enter your name, your e-mail, your WhatsApp number and a password of at least eight characters. For your protection, we send a confirmation link to your e-mail. You must open the link before you can log in. The form is protected against automatic robots, and we block throw-away e-mail addresses, so that the account really belongs to you.

Ordering inside the portal

After you log in, you choose the number of kits, confirm your details and the city of handover, and state that you understand that the kit is for private use and that a guardian's consent is needed for a child. You can also ask for discreet packaging. When you place the order, the portal creates an order number that begins with DNA, for example DNA-7K4M9QXA. Keep this number.

Following the order

Your order page shows a progress bar with the eight steps, a sentence that explains the current status, and a history of everything that has happened with dates. You see the action you can take now, for example "I have paid", "I activated my kit" or "my specimens are ready". Other statuses need no action from you, and the page says so.

Writing to the team

On every order page there is a message box. You write, and our team receives your message by e-mail. We answer on WhatsApp or by e-mail. You can also open WhatsApp from the same page with a message already filled in.

Following without an account

If you did not create an account, or if a relative is following your order for you, the "track an order" page asks for the order number and either the e-mail on the order or the last digits of the phone number. It then shows the status and the history, without your name, phone or e-mail.

English and French

Every page of the portal is available in English and in French, with a switch at the top. The e-mails we send you are in the language you used when you registered or ordered.

Staff access

The portal also has a part for our team and our dispatcher in Douala, which customers never see. Customers are kept out of the technical administration area and see only their own orders.

Sometimes plans change. You may have ordered twice by mistake, you may have found that the alleged father is not available, or the family may have talked and decided to wait. This chapter explains what you can do.

Before you pay

While the order is "awaiting payment", you can cancel it yourself in the portal. Nothing has been paid, nothing is prepared and nothing is lost.

After you pay and before the specimens leave your hands

If you have paid, you can ask to send an unused kit back. In the portal, you open your order and press "ask for a return". You choose a reason, for example "I changed my mind", "I ordered by mistake or twice", "my details were wrong" or "the alleged father is not available", and you can add a few words. Our team reviews each request and contacts you on WhatsApp. We tell you what is possible and how it will be done.

After the specimens are collected

Once the dispatcher has collected your specimens, the package is on its way and a return can no longer be requested through the portal. If you need help at that stage, write to us on WhatsApp and we explain the options.

The status of a return

A return request goes through simple states: requested, approved or declined, kit returned and closed. You see the state on your order page and you receive an e-mail when it changes. If the request is declined, we give you the reason and you can write to us for details.

A word about honesty

We handle each request one by one. We do not publish a general refund rule on this page, because the right answer depends on how far the order has gone. What we promise is a clear answer and a person to talk to.

Wherever money and sensitive subjects meet, people try to take advantage. A few simple habits protect you.

Pay only through our confirmed channels

We send the Mobile Money details to you on WhatsApp after you place the order. Our WhatsApp numbers are +1 555 971 6317 (United States) and +237 6 70 93 12 02 (Cameroon), and they are published on tcbshopz.com. If you receive a payment request from another number that claims to be us, do not pay. Write to the numbers on this page and ask.

Check the address of the website

Our pages are on tcbshopz.com. The customer portal is on systems.tcbshopz.com. If a link takes you to a different address and asks for your password or your payment, close it. We never ask for your password by message.

Check the address for activation

The kit is activated at genetrace.com/activate. Type the address yourself. Do not activate through a link sent by a stranger.

Never share your result with strangers

A person who contacts you after the order claiming to be "from the laboratory" and asking you to send photos of your result or your documents is not helping you. Contact us and we check.

Keep your order number private

Anyone with your order number and your e-mail or the last digits of your phone can see the status of your order. Do not post the order number on social networks.

What to do if something looks wrong

If a message, a delivery or a payment looks strange, stop and write to us on WhatsApp. We prefer a question that turns out to be nothing, to a mistake that costs you money.

Many of our customers live outside Cameroon, in the United States, in Europe or elsewhere, and want to arrange the test for family at home. This is possible, and this chapter explains how to do it properly.

Who orders and who is tested

The person who orders can be anywhere. The people who are tested must be present in Cameroon at the time of the collection, and the kit is handed over in Douala. Decide in advance who will receive the kit, and give us that person's phone number and name, so that the handover goes smoothly.

Language and time zones

You may write to us in English or in French on WhatsApp. If you are in a different time zone, send your message when it suits you. We answer within our working hours, and the portal keeps a full history for you to read whenever you wish.

Paying from abroad

Payment is by Mobile Money. If you are abroad, tell us when you place the order. We explain the practical way to pay in your situation. Do not send money through informal channels or to individuals.

Keeping the people involved informed

A test that is arranged from far away, without the people concerned understanding it, can cause hurt. Make sure that each adult who will be tested knows why, and that the guardian of a child has agreed. The consent rules are the same wherever the person who orders lives.

Following the order from afar

The portal is built for this. You see the status at every step, and the team in Douala handles the physical handover and collection. The result is delivered through the laboratory's secure online portal, so you can receive it wherever you are.

If you also want to ship other things

TCB Shopz also serves people who ship parcels between the United States and Cameroon, shop through our Shop-For-Me service or send gifts. If you are already a customer, the DNA kit is a separate order. You can mention it in the same WhatsApp conversation.

The following situations are illustrative composites. They are not real customers. They are here to show how the steps fit real life, and where people most often hesitate.

A father with a long-standing doubt

A man in Douala has wondered for years about a child born during a period of separation. He decides to know for peace of mind, not for any legal purpose. He orders on WhatsApp, pays with Mobile Money and receives the kit in Douala. With the mother's agreement as the child's guardian, he activates the kit, collects the swabs on a quiet Sunday morning, and tells us the specimens are ready. A few days later he sees the status "sent to the lab". Then the result comes online. Whatever it says, he knows.

A mother who wants to settle a family question

A mother wants her teenage daughter to know the truth about her father before she leaves for studies abroad. The alleged father agrees, and the mother, as the guardian, consents. They do the collection together, one after the other, with the envelopes labelled and separated. They find that taking it slowly and reading each line of the booklet aloud avoids mistakes.

A relative ordering from abroad

A brother living in Europe wants to arrange the test for his sister at home. He orders by message, pays, and gives us his sister's number. We hand over the kit in Douala. He follows each step in the portal, and when the specimens are ready, his sister tells the team. He receives status updates on WhatsApp.

The test that cannot go ahead

A woman wants to test a child with the man she believes is the father, but he refuses. Without his sample, the test cannot be done. She asks about the other tests Genetrace offers, such as grandparent or sibling tests. We explain what exists, what it can answer and that these tests have extra fees. She decides to think about it.

The expectation of court

A man hopes that a home kit will help him in a custody dispute. We explain that a home kit has no witnessed chain of custody, so it is for private knowledge only and not for court. He speaks to a lawyer first. That conversation saves him from spending money on a result he could not use.

The kit that was not activated

A customer collects the samples first and reads the activation instruction afterwards. The laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated. Because he writes to us immediately, we guide him through what to do next. The lesson is simple: activate first.

Use this planner to see how your own timeline could look. The calendar depends on shipping, so we give you the order of events, not fixed dates.

Day 0: you decide

You read this guide, you answer the quiz, you talk to the people concerned and you obtain the guardian's consent if a child is involved. You write to us or create an account.

Next: you order and pay

You place the order and you pay with Mobile Money using the details we send. You enter the reference. We confirm the payment.

Then: the kit travels

We ship the kit to Cameroon. The delivery time to Douala is communicated to you on WhatsApp. While you wait, you can talk with the family and choose a calm weekend for the collection.

Handover and activation

You are notified, you receive the kit in Douala, and you activate it at genetrace.com/activate. You confirm the activation to us.

Collection day

You prepare, wait one hour after food, drink, smoke and brushing, swab each person, let the swabs dry in the envelope for 30 minutes, seal the envelopes and keep them apart.

Pick-up

You tell us the specimens are ready. Our dispatcher collects the package from you.

The journey back

We ship the package to our US office and forward it to the laboratory. You see each stage.

Result

Results come in 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples, through a secure online portal. Shipping time is not included in that timing.

Afterwards

We mark the order as completed. You keep the report in a safe place and decide, with care, what to do with the knowledge you now have.

When the package reaches the laboratory, a sequence of careful steps begins. You never see it, but knowing roughly what happens helps you to trust the process and to understand why the collection instructions are so strict. The description here is general. Each laboratory has its own procedures.

Reception and registration

First, the laboratory receives the package and opens it under controlled conditions. It checks the kit code against the activation record. This is why activation matters: the code on your card connects the physical specimens to the person who registered the kit. The envelopes are checked for damage and for the names written on them.

Extracting the DNA

The cells on each swab are broken open in a solution that releases the DNA and removes the parts of the cell that are not needed. The result is a small quantity of purified DNA for each person. This is the stage where contamination would cause trouble, which is why food, drink and toothpaste in the mouth must be avoided before collecting.

Copying the chosen regions

The laboratory does not read the whole DNA. It selects a set of markers and copies those regions many times, in a process often called amplification, so that there is enough material to measure. Each region is chosen because it varies a lot between people, which makes the comparison meaningful.

Measuring the results

The copied fragments are then separated and measured, and the laboratory records the pattern at each marker for the child and for the alleged father. These patterns are the numbers you see in the markers table of the report. Because every person has two versions of each marker, you will see two numbers per marker.

Checking the work

Good laboratories repeat or verify results, run control samples alongside the real ones and have trained people review every analysis before a report is released. The aim is that a reported result does not depend on a single person's attention at a single moment.

Calculating the probability

Finally, the laboratory compares the patterns. If the alleged father shares the expected marker at every position, the laboratory calculates how likely this is for a true father compared with an unrelated man, and gives a probability. If he lacks the expected marker at several positions, the report states the exclusion.

Publishing the report

The report is published on the laboratory's secure online portal. This is the step that takes 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory has received the samples, and it is the part you wait for when you refresh the portal.

If you have never studied biology, the idea of markers may sound abstract. A simple picture helps. Think of two sets of numbers written on a card. Each person has a card for each marker, with two numbers. One number comes from the mother and one comes from the father.

A simple example

Suppose that at one marker, the child's card says 12 and 15. The mother's card says 12 and 14. The 12 in the child could have come from the mother, so the 15 must have come from the father. Now look at the alleged father's card. If it says 15 and 17, he has a 15 and he is compatible at this marker. If it says 13 and 16, he has no 15 and he is not compatible here.

Repeating the check

Having one compatible marker proves nothing, because many people share the same number by chance. That is why laboratories check many markers. The more markers are compatible, the less likely it is that an unrelated man would match them all by chance. Conversely, mismatches at several markers show that the man cannot be the father.

Why the mother is usually not needed

In the example, we used the mother's card to see which number the child received from her. In practice, laboratories can compare the child's numbers directly with the alleged father's numbers, and see whether the man has one of the child's two numbers at every marker. This is why the mother's sample is usually not necessary for the kit described here.

Rare surprises

On very rare occasions, a marker can change slightly between a parent and a child, which is called a mutation. A laboratory is aware of this and takes it into account when it reads the whole set of markers. A single odd marker does not change a conclusion that is supported by many others, and your report explains how the laboratory dealt with any such case.

What this means for you

You do not need to calculate anything yourself. The laboratory does, and the report states the conclusion in words. The picture above is only there to give you confidence that the logic is simple and sound.

A test is easy to order and difficult to undo. These questions are not meant to discourage you. They help you to make sure that you are ready, and that the test will serve what you actually need.

Why do I want to know

Be honest about your reason. Is it to settle a doubt for yourself, to protect a child, to make a family decision, or because of pressure from someone else? A test done under pressure from others, without your own conviction, can leave you with a result you do not know how to use.

What will I do with each answer

Take a moment to imagine each outcome. If the test confirms paternity, what changes in your actions and your relationships? If it excludes paternity, what will you do and who will you tell? The more precisely you have thought this through, the better prepared you are.

Who else is affected

A paternity test touches a mother, a father, a child, grandparents, brothers and sisters. Think about each person, what they know, what they need and how they may react. You are not obliged to inform everyone, but you should understand the consequences.

Is everyone who must agree really in agreement

The alleged father must agree to be swabbed. A legal guardian must consent for a child. If anyone is reluctant, a test is likely to create conflict and may not be possible at all.

Do I need the result for a legal purpose

If you may need the result in a court, a registry or for an authority, the home kit is not for you. Ask a lawyer first.

Am I ready to follow the steps carefully

The kit works if the instructions are followed exactly: activation, one hour without eating, drinking, smoking or brushing, thirty seconds on each cheek, thirty minutes of drying, separate envelopes. If you are not ready for that care, wait until you are.

Do I have support

Think about who could be with you when the result arrives. A friend, a relative, a counsellor, a religious leader or an elder can make a difficult moment easier to bear.

Can I accept any result

This is the hardest question and the most useful. If you are not sure that you can accept either answer, give yourself more time. There is no deadline.

Most cases are straightforward: one alleged father, one child. A few situations deserve a note, so that you are not surprised later. If any of them applies to you, tell us before you order and we will say what is possible.

Identical twins

Identical twins share the same DNA. A DNA paternity test cannot tell identical twin brothers apart as possible fathers, because their markers are the same. If the alleged father has an identical twin, a positive result would apply equally to both brothers.

Close relatives of the alleged father

If the alleged father and another man are brothers or close relatives, their DNA is more similar than that of unrelated men, though not identical. Laboratories are aware of this and look at the whole set of markers. If this applies in your family, ask us before you order.

Several children

If you want to test more than one child with the same alleged father, each child needs a separate kit. A kit tests one alleged father and one child.

A child who lives far from the alleged father

The collection needs both the father and the child in Cameroon at the time. If they live in different cities, you will need to plan a way for them to give their swabs at about the same time, within the same instructions, and in the right envelopes. Ask us how to organise the handover in this case.

A child who is an adult

An adult child gives their own consent. Both adults must agree and give a swab.

A previous test

If you have already done a test with another service and are unsure of the result, tell us. We do not replace a laboratory's report, but we can explain what the Genetrace kit offers and what it does not.

Unusual family histories

Families are diverse and often more complicated than a form can capture. If your situation does not fit a simple description, write to us and describe it in your own words. We prefer to answer a real question than to let you order a test that cannot answer yours.

In many communities in Cameroon, as in many places in the world, family ties and the family name carry great weight. A child's place in a family can affect inheritance customs, responsibilities, belonging and how others see them. This is why a question about paternity is rarely only a question of biology.

Families are larger than parents

Aunts, uncles, grandparents and elders often play an important role in children's lives. A paternity result may affect people beyond the parents. If you are considering a test, think about who in the wider family could be affected, and who may need to be reassured.

Biology and parenthood are not the same thing

A man who has raised a child, loved a child and been there for a child is a father in the way that matters most to the child. A test tells you about biology. It does not tell you who loves the child, who will care for the child or who should be called a father in the child's daily life. Many families find that, whatever the result, the bond that already exists is what matters most.

Tradition and law

Customary and legal rules about recognition of children, names and inheritance differ between families and regions, and they are different from what a home DNA test can say. We do not give legal or customary advice. If your question involves these rules, speak to a lawyer, an elder or an advisor who knows them.

Avoiding harm

A paternity test should not be used to shame anyone. Think about how the knowledge will be handled, and try not to hurt people who have done nothing wrong, above all the child.

A kind of respect

We built this service on a simple idea: if people are going to ask this difficult question, they deserve privacy, clarity and respect. We keep our language plain and our process careful for that reason.

Payment for the kit is made with Mobile Money. Most readers of this guide already use it every week. If you are new to it, or if you are arranging a payment for a relative who is, this chapter covers the habits that keep your money safe.

What Mobile Money is

Mobile Money is a service that lets you hold money on your phone number and send it to another number, pay for goods and receive money. In Cameroon it is offered by mobile operators. You deposit cash at an agent, or receive money from someone else, and you spend it with a short code or an application, confirmed with a secret code.

How you pay us

After you place your order, we send the payment details on WhatsApp. You use them to make the payment from your own phone. When the payment is done, your operator sends you a confirmation message containing a transaction reference. You keep that message and you send us the reference, either by WhatsApp or in the portal.

Habits that protect you

Check the name and the number shown on the screen before you confirm any payment. Compare them with what we sent you. Never share your secret code with anybody, including a person who says that they work for us or for your operator. Do not make a payment because someone is pressing you to hurry.

Keep the evidence

Keep the confirmation message until your order is complete. If there is ever a difference between what you paid and what we see, the reference helps us to find your payment quickly.

If you make a mistake

If you send money to the wrong number, contact your operator at once and tell them exactly what happened. Then tell us, so that we do not wait for a payment that went elsewhere. Operators have procedures for mistaken transfers, and the sooner you act, the better your chances.

Paying from abroad

If you are abroad and cannot pay with a Mobile Money account yourself, a trusted relative in Cameroon can pay on your behalf. Tell us when you order that someone else will pay, so that we can recognise the payment.

The price is the price

The price is 130,000 FCFA for one kit. It covers the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, collection of the finished specimens, shipping back to our US office, forwarding to the laboratory and the laboratory results. There is nothing more to add to it.

WhatsApp is the main way we talk with customers. It is quick, it works with poor connections and it is already on your phone. A few simple habits make the conversation faster and safer.

What helps us to help you

Tell us your name, your city and what you want to do: order a kit, ask a question, follow an order. If you already have an order number, send it. If you have a problem with a step, describe what you see and, if possible, send a photo of the thing that puzzles you, for example the outside of the pouch. We will tell you what to do.

What not to send

Do not send photos of your result, photos of identity documents, your Mobile Money secret code, your passwords or the full activation code. If we need to check something, we tell you exactly what is needed, and we never need a secret code.

Language

You can write in English or in French. If you write in one language, we answer in the same one unless you ask otherwise.

Hours and patience

We answer as quickly as we can during our working hours, which differ between the United States and Cameroon. If your message arrives at night, we reply when the team is back. If your question is urgent, say so.

Voice messages and calls

Short voice messages are fine for explaining a situation. For sensitive subjects, we recommend that you write the key facts as text too, so that nothing is misunderstood.

Groups

Please do not add us to a family group for the order. Keep the conversation one-to-one so that your privacy is respected.

The two numbers

Our WhatsApp numbers are +1 555 971 6317 for the United States and +237 6 70 93 12 02 for Cameroon. Save them with the name TCB Shopz so that you recognise our messages.

If a child is old enough to understand, how you handle the conversation matters more than the result. Every family is different, and nobody knows your child as you do. These ideas may help.

Decide who speaks, and when

Choose the person the child trusts most and a moment when nobody is in a hurry. Avoid telling a child just before school, just before sleep or during an argument. A calm, private place helps.

Say it simply

Use short, honest sentences. You do not need to share adult details. You can say that adults want to confirm who the child's father is by taking a simple swab from the cheek, that it does not hurt, and that the child is loved no matter what.

Keep the child out of the conflict

Children can feel that they are the cause of a dispute between adults. Make it clear that they are not at fault. Do not ask them to choose sides, and do not ask them to keep secrets from one parent.

Prepare for questions

A child may ask what the test will change, whether they will have to live somewhere else, or why the adults need it. Think about honest answers before the conversation. If you do not know an answer, say so and promise to talk again.

Teenagers

Teenagers may feel anger, shame or curiosity, often at the same time. Respect their need for privacy and time. Involve them in decisions that concern them, within what is appropriate to their age. A teenager's agreement matters, even when the law only requires the guardian's.

After the result

Choose the moment and the words with the same care. A child needs to hear that the relationship with the adults who care for them continues. If a child struggles, a school counsellor, a social worker or a family counsellor can help.

The same test looks different depending on who you are. These short notes speak to each role in turn.

If you are the alleged father

You may feel anxious, angry or hopeful. Remember that you are being asked to give a cheek swab, nothing more. The result will tell you about biology. What you decide to do with it is a separate question. If the result confirms paternity, think about the child's needs. If it does not, think about how to treat the child and the mother with the respect that they deserve, whatever your feelings.

If you are the mother or the guardian

You are the person who gives consent for the child. Be prepared for the possibility that the result may change your relationship with the alleged father, and think about how you would protect the child in each case. If you are the one who has asked for the test, explain your reason openly to the other adults, because secrecy tends to cause more damage than the truth.

If you are a relative

A brother, a sister, an uncle, a grandparent or a friend may be helping. Your role is to support, not to decide. Offer practical help, such as being present at the handover, reading the instructions together or accompanying someone when the result arrives. Do not pressure anyone into a test, and do not repeat what you know to people who do not need to know it.

If you are an adult child

You may be doing the test for yourself. You decide whether to involve other people. Think about who you want to tell, and when. The result is yours. You do not owe it to anyone.

Whatever your role

Treat the others with respect. The process works best when everyone understands what is happening and agrees to it.

A DNA kit is a powerful tool, and tools can be misused. We ask our customers to follow some basic principles. They also reflect how we handle your order.

Do not test anyone without their agreement

Swabbing a sleeping child or collecting a sample from an object without the owner's knowledge is not what this kit is for. Every adult must agree, and a child's guardian must consent.

Do not use the result to shame or punish

The result is information. It can be used to make a careful decision or to hurt people. Choose the first.

Do not pressure a child

Children should never be pushed to take sides. Do not ask a child to keep secrets from one parent.

Do not publish

Do not post the result, the kit or the report on social media or in a family group. Once it is public, it cannot be withdrawn.

Do not expect legal effect

This kit is for private knowledge only and is not for court. Do not present a home result as legal proof.

Do not hide a problem

If you make a mistake in collection, tell us. We prefer to help you to put it right than to discover it later.

Respect the privacy of others

The people involved have a right to their privacy. Share what is necessary and no more.

A good service is a two-way arrangement. Here is what we commit to, and what we ask of you.

What we promise

We promise a clear price: 130,000 FCFA, covering everything described in this guide. We promise honest information about the process and its limits, including that the kit is for private knowledge only and not for court. We promise to ship the kit to Cameroon, hand it over in Douala, collect the finished specimens, ship them to our US office and forward them to the laboratory. We promise to tell you the delivery time on WhatsApp and to keep you informed at each step. We promise to keep your order information private, to handle sealed envelopes as sealed envelopes, and not to read or store your result.

What we ask of you

We ask you to give correct details, to pay only through the channels we send you, to activate the kit before testing, and to follow the collection steps exactly. We ask you to tell us when the specimens are ready, to answer our dispatcher, and to treat our team respectfully. We ask you to obtain consent from every adult and from a child's guardian.

When something goes wrong

If something does not go as promised, tell us. We would rather hear about a difficulty early and fix it than lose your trust. The simplest way is a message on WhatsApp with your order number.

A relationship, not only a transaction

We know that for you this is not just a purchase. It is a question that matters to your family. We try to answer it with the care it deserves.

Problems are rare, but they happen, and the best time to deal with one is as soon as you notice it. This chapter lists what to do at each stage.

I paid and nothing seems to have happened

First check that you sent us the payment reference, in the portal or on WhatsApp. If you did, our team is checking it. If more than a short time passes, write to us with your order number and the reference. Keep the confirmation message from your operator.

The kit has not arrived in Douala

The delivery time to Douala is communicated on WhatsApp. If you have not heard anything for longer than we told you, write to us with your order number. Do not assume the worst: delays in international shipping are common, and we will tell you what we know.

The pouch is damaged or open

Do not use anything. Take photos and write to us on WhatsApp at once. We will tell you what to do.

The activation code is not accepted

Check that you are on genetrace.com/activate and that you typed the code exactly as printed. If it still fails, write to us with a photo of the card, covering part of the code if you prefer, and we will help.

I swabbed before activating

The laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated. Do not seal or send anything yet. Write to us on WhatsApp straight away and we will tell you how to proceed.

Someone ate or smoked just before the swab

The sample may be contaminated. Wait, then follow the instructions again if you still have unused swabs and the booklet allows it. If you are unsure, ask us before you seal anything.

The envelopes got mixed

Do not send the package. Write to us at once. Mixed envelopes cannot be corrected after sealing, and sending them would waste time and money.

I cannot meet the dispatcher

Tell us as early as possible, and we arrange another time.

I cannot open the result

Write to us on WhatsApp. We guide you through the laboratory's portal step by step.

I disagree with the result

Take time before you act. If you have a technical doubt, write to us with your order number, and we will ask the laboratory how the report should be read. If a collection mistake may have occurred, tell us honestly so that we can explain the options.

A single place with the facts that matter most. If you only have a few minutes, read this chapter and the frequently asked questions.

The test

The Genetrace DNA Paternity Test, for 1 alleged father and 1 child. For private knowledge only, not for court. A child's sample needs a legal guardian's consent.

The price

130,000 FCFA. This price covers everything: the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, collection of the finished specimens by our dispatcher, shipping back to the TCB Shopz US office, forwarding to the laboratory and the laboratory results. Payment by Mobile Money.

The kit

Instructions, a kit activation card, 2 specimen envelopes, 4 mouth swabs (2 per person) and a return envelope.

The eight steps

1. Pay with Mobile Money.
2. We ship the kit to Cameroon.
3. It arrives in Douala: you are notified and the kit is handed to you.
4. Activate at genetrace.com/activate before you test.
5. Collect: no food, drink, smoke or brushing for 1 hour; right cheek 30 seconds, left cheek 30 seconds, for each person; dry 30 minutes in the envelope; seal; do not mix the envelopes; use only the swabs in the kit.
6. Tell us when the specimens are ready: our dispatcher collects the package.
7. We ship it to our US office and forward it to the laboratory.
8. Results in 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples, through a secure online portal.

The contacts

WhatsApp +1 555 971 6317 and +237 6 70 93 12 02. E-mail contact@tcbshopz.com. Portal: systems.tcbshopz.com. Handover city: Douala.

The three rules to remember

Activate first. Follow the collection steps exactly. Remember that the result is for private knowledge only.

When people compare ways to get a home DNA test, they often look first at the price of the kit. The more useful question is: what happens around the kit? A kit that arrives late, that cannot be activated, or that you cannot send back is worth very little. The strength of this service is in everything around the kit.

A kit that actually reaches you

Orders from abroad can be held at customs, lost in the post or left at a collection point far from home. Here, the kit is shipped to Cameroon by us and handed to you in Douala. You are notified when it arrives. There is a person to ask if anything seems wrong.

A way back that you do not have to organise

After the collection, someone has to get the specimens to the laboratory. In many services this is left to the customer, who must find a courier, pay for it, fill in forms and hope for the best. In this service our dispatcher collects the package from you, and we ship it to our US office and forward it to the laboratory. The cost is included.

One price, no surprises

The price of 130,000 FCFA covers the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, the dispatcher's collection, shipping back to our US office, forwarding to the laboratory and the results. There is no second invoice for handling, for the dispatcher, or for the results.

Your language, your payment method

You can write to us in English or French. You pay with Mobile Money, which you already use. The portal has both languages. Nobody expects you to use a foreign card or an unfamiliar form.

A team you can reach

If you have a question, you write on WhatsApp and a person answers. If your package seems late, you ask and we tell you what we know. A service that answers is worth more than one that only sells.

A service that tells you its limits

We tell you plainly that the kit is for private knowledge only and is not for court. We tell you that the father's sample is required. We tell you that the delivery time is communicated on WhatsApp rather than promised on a page. Being clear about limits is part of being trustworthy.

You do not need a special room or special equipment. A little preparation, however, turns a stressful half hour into a calm one.

Choose the moment

Pick a time when nobody is hungry, rushed or upset. Early in the morning, before breakfast, can work well for adults, since nobody has eaten yet, but it is not necessary. What matters is that nobody has eaten, drunk, smoked or brushed their teeth for at least one hour. For a baby, choose a moment when the child is calm, rested and not about to be fed.

Prepare the space

Choose a table with a clean, dry surface and good light. Put the kit, a clock or a phone timer and a pen if you need to write on the envelopes. Wash your hands with soap and dry them well. Keep pets, food and drinks away from the table.

Read first, act second

Read the booklet from start to finish before you open any swab. Read the lines about the right cheek and the left cheek, the drying time and the envelopes. Then start. If anything is unclear, stop and ask us on WhatsApp.

Bring in the right people

Only the people involved should be present: the person who is swabbed, the person who does the swabbing and, if a child is concerned, a guardian. A crowd makes errors more likely and takes away privacy.

Work person by person

Finish one person completely, including putting the swabs into that person's envelope, before you start the next person. Never have two open envelopes and two sets of swabs on the table at the same time.

Keep time honestly

Use a timer for the thirty seconds on each cheek and for the thirty minutes of drying. Our impression of time is unreliable when we are nervous.

Clean up and wait

When the swabs are in their envelopes and drying, tidy the table and wait. When the thirty minutes are over, seal the envelopes, keep them apart and place them in the return envelope with the activation card.

When a subject is delicate, the first sentence is often the hardest. These sentences are offered as starting points. Change the words to fit your voice and your relationship.

With a partner

"I would like to talk about something that matters to our family. I want to explain why, and I want to hear what you think before we decide anything."

"I am not accusing you of anything. I want us to have the same information, so that we can make decisions together."

With the alleged father

"There is a question about whether you are the father of this child. A simple test with a cheek swab can answer it. I would like to explain how it works, and I would like your agreement."

"The result belongs to us. It will not be shared with anyone else unless we decide together."

With an elder or a respected relative

"I would like your advice about a difficult family matter. I want to do the right thing for everyone, above all for the child."

With a child

"Some adults want to check something about our family with a quick swab inside the cheek. It does not hurt. You did nothing wrong, and we love you."

"You can ask me any question you like, now or later."

After a result

"Whatever the result, we will look after the child together as best we can."

"I need some time to think. I will speak to you again soon."

If you are not ready to talk

"I am not ready to speak about this today. I will tell you when I am."

A reminder

None of these sentences is a script that works every time. The goal is respect and honesty. If a conversation becomes too difficult, pause it and ask for help from a counsellor or a trusted elder.

A home DNA test gives you information. Professionals can help you to use it well, or to decide that you should not use it yet. Knowing when to ask for help is a sign of care.

When to speak to a lawyer

Speak to a lawyer if the subject may reach a court, a registry, an inheritance or a custody question, or if you are not sure whether you will need an official result. A lawyer can tell you which procedure an authority accepts, and which laboratory and sampling method it requires. A home kit is not for court, so the lawyer's advice may save you from spending on a result you cannot use.

Questions to ask a lawyer

You could ask: what proof does the authority require in my situation? Does the sampling have to be witnessed, and by whom? Which laboratories does it accept? What happens if the result differs from what we expect? How do the rights of the child fit in?

When to speak to a counsellor

A family counsellor, a social worker or a psychologist can help when a family is under stress, when a child is involved or when the result may shake the relationships. They do not take sides. They help people to find words and to protect those who are most vulnerable.

What a counsellor can do for you

A counsellor can help you to prepare for each possible result, to talk to a child in a suitable way, to manage anger and to plan for the days after the result. If you can, arrange a first conversation before the result arrives.

Religious leaders and elders

Many families turn first to a pastor, an imam, a priest or an elder. Their experience and their calm can be valuable. Choose someone you trust to keep the subject private.

Doctors

A doctor is not needed to take the cheek swabs. If your question is about health, for example inherited conditions, speak to a doctor. This test answers only the question of paternity.

Support is not weakness

Asking for help does not mean that you cannot cope. It means that you take the situation seriously and want the best outcome for those involved.

The day the result arrives is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a new chapter, and how you walk through it matters.

Give yourself time

You may feel relief, sadness, anger, confusion or emptiness. Allow yourself to feel it. Avoid taking big decisions, such as breaking off a relationship, changing a will, confronting a family member or moving, on the same day. Wait a few days.

Decide who needs to know

Not everyone has to know. Think about the people for whom the result is essential, for example the child's guardian, and tell them with care. Consider what the child should hear, and when.

Protect the child

Whatever the result, the child needs stability, affection and security. Show the child that nothing about their worth has changed. If the child is old enough to understand, speak to them in a way that is honest and gentle.

Handle the report with care

Keep the report in a secure place. Do not forward it, post it or leave it where it can be found by someone who should not see it.

If the result confirms paternity

You may want to celebrate the clarity and to renew your commitment. If the relationship has been difficult, the result can be an opportunity to start again. Speak calmly to the other adults involved about what happens next.

If the result excludes paternity

This can be a heavy moment for everyone. Think about the child first. A man who has acted as a father may wish to continue to be present. Another person may need space. There are no simple rules. A counsellor can help.

If you need a legal result later

Remember that the home kit is for private knowledge only. If a legal procedure becomes necessary, ask a lawyer how to obtain a result that an authority accepts.

Come back to us if you need help

If you need help to open the result, to understand a word in the report or to find the right next step, write to us on WhatsApp. We cannot interpret what the result means for your family, but we can help with the practical side.

Consent is more than a signature or a nod. It means that a person understands what is being done, why, and what may follow, and that they agree freely. This chapter goes through each person who may be involved, so that you can check that nobody has been left out or pushed.

The alleged father

He must understand that the test compares his DNA with the child's to establish whether he is the biological father, that a cheek swab is all that is taken, and that the result may change what he knows about himself and his family. He must be free to say no. If he says no, the test cannot go ahead.

The adult who gives the sample for a child

A child's sample needs a legal guardian's consent. The guardian should understand the same things as the father, and should also think about what the result could mean for the child's future. The guardian is the person who speaks for the child, and who should keep the child's best interests in front of any other concern.

The child

A very young child cannot consent, which is why the guardian does. An older child or teenager should be told what is happening in terms they can understand, and their feelings should be taken seriously, even if the law only requires the guardian's consent. A child who is frightened or strongly opposed may need more time and an explanation before anything is done.

Other adults

Other adults, such as grandparents or partners, are not required to consent to the test, but they may be affected by it. Think about whether they need to know, and when, and how to protect their dignity.

Written notes can help

Some families like to write down the decision together, with the date and the names of the people who agreed. It is not a legal document, but it records that nobody was tricked and that everyone understood. If you do this, keep the note private.

What we ask when you order

In the portal, you must confirm a statement that the kit is for private use only, not for court, and that a legal guardian's consent is needed to test a child. This statement is not a formality. It is a moment to check that you have the agreement you need.

Some people postpone the decision for years. Others rush it. Both can be costly. This chapter looks at the reasons behind each choice, without pushing you either way.

Why people wait

Fear of the answer is the most common reason. Others wait because they hope that the doubt will disappear, because they do not want to upset someone or because they do not know where to begin. Waiting can protect a family from a painful moment. It can also let a doubt grow into suspicion.

What waiting can cost

Doubt takes energy. People who live with it say that it enters their relationship with the child and with the mother, often without their meaning it. As a child grows, the question may become harder to raise. A child who is older may also have a stronger bond with the people who raised them, which can make the adults' choices more complicated.

Why people rush

Others decide quickly, in anger or after an argument. A test ordered in the heat of a moment can lead to a result that is received in the same state of mind. If you notice that you are acting out of anger, give yourself a few days.

What rushing can cost

A rushed test can damage trust and may be done without the agreement of the people involved. It may also be done without a plan for what happens next.

A balanced choice

A good decision usually comes after a pause, some conversation and a plan. There is no ideal moment. If you are ready, with calm and with consent, you can go ahead. If you are not, wait without guilt.

The cost in money

The price is 130,000 FCFA, with everything included. If you order a kit and then do not use it, you can ask for a return before the specimens leave your hands, and our team reviews each request. It is better to order when you are reasonably sure.

If a relative or a friend is helping you, they may need a short explanation. Here is one you can use or adapt.

The short version

"TCB Shopz sells a home DNA paternity test, made by Genetrace, for one alleged father and one child. It costs 130,000 FCFA, and that includes everything: the kit, shipping to Cameroon, handover in Douala, collection of the finished samples by their dispatcher, shipping back to their US office, forwarding to the laboratory and the results. You pay with Mobile Money. You swab the inside of the cheeks, you let the swabs dry, and you seal the envelopes. Results come online in 1 to 2 business days after the laboratory receives the samples. It is private, but it is not for court."

Three questions people ask next

Does it hurt? No, it is painless, and there is no blood. Is it safe to pay? Pay only through the details they send you on WhatsApp. Can I follow it? Yes, by WhatsApp, or with a free account that shows each step in English or French.

What not to say

Do not promise a result that you cannot know. Do not tell someone that the test will solve a family problem. It answers a question about biology and nothing else.

Where to send people

For a quick overview, the short DNA kit page on tcbshopz.com has the essentials. For all the details, this guide has them. For questions, WhatsApp +1 555 971 6317.

The portal is optional, but many people use it. These answers cover what customers ask most.

Is the portal free

Yes. Creating an account and following your orders costs nothing. You pay only for the kit.

Do I have to confirm my e-mail

Yes. After you create the account, we send a link to the e-mail you gave. You must open it before you can log in. This protects you and us from fake accounts. If you do not see the message, look in your spam folder, or ask for the link again on the confirmation page.

I forgot my password

Use the "forgot your password" link on the login page. Enter your e-mail, and we send a link to choose a new one. For your safety, the page gives the same answer whether or not the e-mail has an account.

Can I change my details

Yes. In your profile, you can change your name, your phone number, your language and your password.

Can I delete my account

You can ask for it in your profile. Our team removes your account and your orders on request.

Why does the portal ask me to tick a box about private use

Because the kit is for private knowledge only, not for court, and a child's sample needs a legal guardian's consent. We want you to see these two rules before you order, not after.

Who can see my orders

Only you, and the team members who handle your order. Our dispatcher in Douala sees only what is needed to collect a package.

Is my result shown in the portal

No. The portal records the status of your order. Results are delivered by the laboratory in its secure online portal.

Does the portal send messages

It sends e-mails at the main steps of your order, in the language you chose. If our team enables it, you may also receive WhatsApp messages. Otherwise we write to you directly when needed.

Once your result exists in digital form, it needs the same care as a banking document or an identity paper. A few steps protect it.

Use a strong, unique password

For the laboratory's portal, use a password that you do not use anywhere else. Use a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. If you cannot remember many passwords, a reputable password manager can help.

Log in only on your own device

Do not open the result on a shared computer or in a cyber café. If you have no choice, log out completely afterwards, and do not let the browser save your password.

Beware of fake messages

Someone may send a message that pretends to come from the laboratory or from us and asks you to click a link to see your result. Do not click. Go to the address you know, type it yourself and log in there. If you are not sure, ask us.

Keep your phone secure

Use a screen lock. Update your applications. Do not install software from unknown sources. A phone that is safe protects your messages, your e-mail and your payment account.

Think before you take screenshots

A screenshot of the result can be sent to the wrong person in a second. Save the report only where you need it and delete copies you do not need.

Back up with care

If you keep a copy, keep it in an encrypted folder or on a storage device kept in a safe place. Do not store it in a shared album.

Delete what you do not need

When you no longer need photos of the kit, messages about the order or copies of the report, delete them. Less data means less risk.

Many of our customers read in one language and talk to relatives in another. These pairs of words help you to move between English and French when you discuss the test.

Key words

• DNA paternity test = test ADN de paternité
• alleged father = père présumé
• child = enfant
• cheek swab = écouvillon buccal
• specimen = échantillon
• specimen envelope = enveloppe pour échantillon
• kit activation card = carte d'activation du kit
• return envelope = enveloppe de retour
• legal guardian = tuteur légal
• consent = consentement
• results = résultats
• secure online portal = portail en ligne sécurisé
• private knowledge = usage privé
• not for court = pas pour le tribunal
• chain of custody = chaîne de traçabilité
• Mobile Money = Mobile Money
• handover = remise
• dispatcher = livreur
• business days = jours ouvrables
• order number = numéro de commande

Useful phrases

• "I would like to order a DNA kit" = "Je voudrais commander un kit ADN"
• "Where is my order?" = "Où en est ma commande ?"
• "My specimens are ready" = "Mes échantillons sont prêts"
• "I need help to activate my kit" = "J'ai besoin d'aide pour activer mon kit"

One more tip

If you are helping someone, offer to read the instructions aloud in the language they are most comfortable with. Mistakes happen when a step is understood almost, but not quite.

If you can plan, a few days of calm before collection make everything easier. Here is a schedule you can adapt. It does not need to be followed exactly.

Two days before

Read the booklet again. Check that the kit is complete: instructions, activation card, two specimen envelopes, four swabs and a return envelope. Confirm that the kit is activated. If you have not yet done it, do it now at genetrace.com/activate and tell us.

The day before

Agree on the time with everyone who will be swabbed. Remind them about the hour without eating, drinking, smoking or brushing. Prepare the table, the timer and a clean area. Keep your phone charged.

The morning of collection

Do not eat, drink, smoke or brush your teeth in the hour before collection. Wash your hands, set up, and begin only when everyone is ready and calm.

During collection

Take one person at a time. Swab the right cheek for 30 seconds and the left cheek for 30 seconds. Place the swabs in that person's envelope. Let them dry for 30 minutes before you seal. Do not mix the envelopes.

Right after collection

Seal the envelopes after the drying time. Put them in the return envelope with the activation card. Write to us that the specimens are ready.

The next day

Meet the dispatcher at the time agreed. Hand over the package. Check the status in the portal or ask on WhatsApp.

After that

You wait. The package is on its way. Do something kind for yourself and for the people around you while you wait.

A DNA paternity test is a simple procedure that can bring big feelings. We hope that this guide has helped you to see the whole path, from the first message to the moment the result opens on your screen, and to feel more prepared for it.

What matters most

Three things matter more than the rest. Activate the kit before you test. Follow the collection steps exactly. Remember that the result is for private knowledge only. If you keep these three in mind, you have done most of what you can to make the test work.

What we hope for you

We hope that you reach a clear answer, and that you use it with care. We hope that children are protected, that adults treat each other with respect, and that families find a way through whatever the result is.

A last invitation

If you are ready, write to us on WhatsApp, or create your free account on the portal. If you are not ready, keep this page and come back when you are. And if you have a question, however small, ask. We would rather answer a question than see a mistake.

Every service is shaped by a few ideas. Ours are simple, and we think you should know them, so that you can judge whether they match what you need.

Clarity before sales

We would rather lose an order than sell a kit to someone who needs something else. This is why we say, at the top of every page, that the kit is for private knowledge only and not for court, and that the father's sample is needed. A customer who understands the limits is a customer who is not disappointed later.

One price, said once

The price is 130,000 FCFA, and it covers everything described in this guide. We do not add fees at each step. We do not show you a low price and a high price. A price that surprises you later is not a price you can trust.

Respect for the people involved

A paternity test affects a child, a mother, a father and a family. We treat the subject seriously, with plain and respectful language. We do not use jokes, pressure or sensational words.

Privacy by design

We keep only what we need to deliver the service. We do not read or store results. We give you the means to track your order without exposing your personal details. We make it possible to export or erase your data.

Local presence

We operate on both sides of the corridor: an office in the United States and a handover in Douala. Because our team is on both sides, we can solve problems that a remote seller cannot.

Honesty about timing

We cannot control flights, customs or the laboratory's queue, so we do not print promises that we cannot keep. We tell you what we know, when we know it.

Language as a service

English and French are both first-class on our site and in our portal. A person should not need a third language to follow their own order.

Most problems come from small things. This chapter collects the details that people most often forget, so that you can check them in two minutes.

Keep your phone number active

Our handover and dispatcher both depend on your phone. If the number on your order is wrong, or the phone is off, the people trying to reach you will give up after a few attempts. Check the number on your order.

Keep the activation card with the kit

The card carries the code that links the kit to your record. If it is lost, tell us at once. Do not throw away the box or the pouch until the process is complete.

Know whose envelope is whose

Before you start, check which envelope is for the alleged father and which is for the child. If you are tired or if there are children around, read the labels aloud.

Time of day matters less than a clean mouth

You can collect at any time of day, as long as the hour without eating, drinking, smoking or brushing has passed. Do not collect right after a meal or right after you have brushed your teeth.

Do not open the return envelope early

The return envelope is for the sealed specimens. Do not use it for anything else and do not open it again after you have sealed it.

Keep children and pets away

A child who touches a swab or a pet that licks a table can contaminate a sample. Keep the workspace clean and quiet.

Report anything that looks wrong

If a swab package is open, if a swab falls on the floor, or if you are not sure that you followed a step, tell us before you seal anything. We will tell you what to do. A mistake that is reported early can often be corrected. A mistake that is hidden cannot.

Save the order number

Write down your order number and keep it. It lets us find your order immediately when you write to us.

Use the language you are comfortable with

If you read the booklet in a language that you do not know well, ask us to help you with the key sentences, or read them in the other language of this page.

When you order, we ask for your name, your WhatsApp number or phone, your city and a landmark in your area. People sometimes wonder why we need them. This chapter explains.

The phone number

Your phone is how we reach you. We use it to tell you when the kit arrives in Douala, to arrange the handover, to arrange the collection of your package, and to answer your questions. If the phone number is wrong, nothing can be done. If it is right, the process is smooth.

The city and landmark

The handover city is Douala. Your city and landmark help us to understand where you are, and to arrange the handover and the collection in a practical way. We use them only for your order.

The e-mail

Your e-mail is used for your account, for your confirmation link, for password resets and for messages at the main steps of your order. It is not published and it is not sold.

The notes field

You may tell us anything that helps, for example the best time to call or that you want discreet packaging. We read the notes with the order, and they are visible only to the team who handle it.

What we do not ask for

We do not ask for your identity card, your passport or a copy of any document to place an order. We do not ask for your Mobile Money secret code, ever. If someone asks you for these in our name, do not give them.

How long we keep data

We keep your order information while it is needed to serve you and to answer questions. You can ask us to export or erase your account and orders. In the portal, there is a button for this in your profile, and you can also write to contact@tcbshopz.com.

Many ideas circulate about DNA tests, some true, some not. Here are the most common ones, with the facts as they apply to this kit.

Myth: you need a blood sample

Fact: no. The kit uses painless cheek swabs. There is no needle and no blood.

Myth: a baby is too young to be tested

Fact: there is no age limit. Even newborns can be tested, with a legal guardian's consent for a child.

Myth: the mother must always be tested too

Fact: usually no. The comparison between the child and the alleged father is what the test is built on.

Myth: a child can be tested alone

Fact: no. Both the father and the child must be tested, because the laboratory compares them.

Myth: the home kit can be used in court

Fact: no. The home kit is for private knowledge only, because there is no witnessed chain of custody.

Myth: you can use any cotton swab

Fact: no. Use only the swabs in the kit. Other materials can spoil the sample.

Myth: the test can be done the minute you receive the kit

Fact: not quite. Activate the kit at genetrace.com/activate first. The laboratory cannot process samples from a kit that is not activated.

Myth: it does not matter if you eat just before

Fact: it matters. Do not eat, drink, smoke or brush your teeth for at least 1 hour before collecting.

Myth: a quick rub is enough

Fact: swab inside the right cheek for 30 seconds, then inside the left cheek for 30 seconds, for each person.

Myth: you can seal the envelope straight away

Fact: let the swabs dry in the envelope for 30 minutes, then seal it.

Myth: the envelopes are interchangeable

Fact: never mix the envelopes. Each belongs to one person.

Myth: results take weeks

Fact: the laboratory gives results in 1 to 2 business days after it receives the samples. Shipping time is separate.

Myth: someone at the delivery company can read your result

Fact: results are delivered by the laboratory through its secure online portal. TCB Shopz does not store results in its order system.

Myth: a test is only for people who suspect something

Fact: families use tests for many reasons, from peace of mind to settling a long-standing question. The reason is yours alone.

Myth: the result will tell you everything about the family

Fact: it answers one question, whether this man is the biological father of this child.

Myth: you must go to Douala yourself to take part

Fact: the kit is handed over in Douala, and the dispatcher collects the package from you. If you live elsewhere, write to us and we explain what is possible.

A short list of the terms used in this guide and on laboratory reports.

Alleged father

The man who may be the child's biological father and whose DNA is compared with the child's.

Activation

The step of registering your kit at genetrace.com/activate with the code on the activation card. It must be done before you test.

Buccal swab

A swab that collects cells from the inside of the cheek. "Buccal" simply means "of the cheek".

Chain of custody

The documented, witnessed record of who handled a sample from collection to the laboratory. A home kit does not have it, which is why it is not for court.

Contamination

Anything that adds foreign material to a sample, such as food, drink, toothpaste or touching the swab tip.

DNA

The molecule that carries genetic instructions. A child receives half from each parent.

Exclusion

A result in which the alleged father cannot be the biological father because the expected markers do not match.

Inclusion

A result in which the alleged father is not excluded because the markers are compatible, supporting paternity with a very high probability.

Kit activation card

The card in the kit that carries the activation code.

Laboratory

The place where the DNA is read and compared. For this kit it is Genetrace.

Legal guardian

The person who has legal responsibility for a child. Their consent is needed to test a child.

Marker

A position in the DNA where the pattern varies between individuals, used for comparison.

Mobile Money

The mobile payment service used to pay for the kit.

Newborn

A baby in the first days of life. Newborns can be tested.

Order number

The code, starting with DNA, that identifies your order in the portal.

Portal

The online system where you follow your order, or the laboratory's secure online site where results are published.

Probability of paternity

The figure on a report that expresses how strongly the evidence supports paternity when the alleged father is not excluded.

Return envelope

The envelope in the kit into which the sealed specimen envelopes are placed for the journey.

Specimen

A sample collected from a person, here the swabs in their envelope.

Specimen envelope

One of the two envelopes in the kit, each for one person.

Swab

The small tool used to collect cells from the cheek.

TCB Shopz, also known as The Coins Bureau Shopz, is a company based in Laurel, Maryland, that connects the United States and Cameroon. Our motto is Bridging the Distance, Delivering Trust. For years, customers have used us to shop in the United States, to ship parcels between the two countries, to send gifts and to exchange digital gift cards.

Why we offer the DNA kit

Many of our customers asked for help with a service that is hard to obtain from Cameroon: a private paternity test that arrives, is collected and is processed without long trips. Our corridor between the United States and Cameroon already existed. The DNA kit uses it.

What we do and what we do not do

We deliver the kit, hand it over in Douala, collect the finished specimens, ship them to our US office and forward them to the laboratory. We help you follow your order. We do not read your result, we do not keep it and we do not decide what it means for you.

Our other services

If you need to shop in the United States, ship barrels or parcels, send a gift or exchange a gift card, the rest of tcbshopz.com is for you. The site is available in English and French.

Contact

WhatsApp: +1 555 971 6317 (United States) and +237 6 70 93 12 02 (Cameroon). E-mail: contact@tcbshopz.com. Address: Laurel, MD 20708, USA. Handover city in Cameroon: Douala.