Bernas, President & CEO, Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. Report the post to Facebook by clicking on the three little dots in the upper right corner of the post.Īnd report the scam to BBB at bbb.org/scamtracker. If you receive a chain letter by mail, email, or social media, especially one that involves money or gifts, ignore it.
#Holiday gift exchange facebook full#
Of course, starting this gift exchange comes with a catch-you need to disclose your personal information, such as your full name and home address. No matter when you start decorating, the Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers of a Facebook gift exchange that is actually illegal to participate in.
This process repeats itself with the participant in the #2 spot, and so on. This type of gift exchange may seem reasonable enough in theory: six friends invite six more friends, who all send gifts to the participant in spot #1 before that person’s named is removed. If a consumer purchases one gift for a stranger, she is promised she will receive as many as 36 gifts in return. If you receive an invitation to participate, ignore it. “The best thing people can do is avoid it altogether. “I’m sure they have not considered the legality of participating, but pyramid schemes are a serious offense,” he added. “Those who get involved often do so thinking that the amount needed to participate is so small it’s worth the risk if they’ll receive gifts worth maybe a couple hundred dollars,” notes Naperville resident Steve Bernas, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. In addition, anyone who decides to participate in programs like these will become much more likely targets of identity theft. Participants could be subject to penalties for mail fraud. Postal Inspection Service says that gift exchanges are illegal gambling, if money or other items of value are requested with assurance of a sizable return for those who participate. If you see a Secret Sister exchange or a similar experience being spread on Facebook, you should ignore it, warn the friends who may be about to get involved, and report the social media posts.- Advertisement - Participation could be mail fraud, BBB warnsīut there is one big problem with gift chains like “Secret Sister.” Individuals who choose to participate could find that they are involved in an illegal “pyramid scheme.” The U.S. Post a message in a channel used for company-wide announcements. Postal Service specifically identifies the Secret Sister exchanges as an example of a pyramid scheme on their website.Īnother danger mentioned by BBB is the fact that the campaign organizer ends up with a long list containing the personal information of countless people - which could be dangerous if it got into the wrong hands. First, you’ll want to ask people if they’d like to take part in your company’s holiday gift exchange. In Canada, any person who operates a pyramid scheme could be handed a fine of up to $200,000, and could be imprisoned for up to five years if indicted. Pyramid schemes are illegal in both Canada and the U.S. This means that hundreds of people could end up disappointed, not having received any gifts in return themselves. Without a maximum cap of people and an even number of people to match up like in a regular Secret Santa, the gift supply ends when the chain fails to find new participants. While the idea of purchasing a gift for a stranger and being matched up anonymously may sound charming, the problem is that “it relies on the recruitment of individuals” in order to keep the plan going, BBB said, “just like any other pyramid scheme.” You then have to send the list and the invitation along to your own friends, and wait for further instruction. They would receive info on where to send their gifts later, BBB said.īBB reports that some of these posts promise that participants could receive up to 36 gifts by participating.Īfter signing up, your information joins a list made up of the strangers who signed up before you. The concept is advertised as a way to connect people and spread the joy of the holiday season - cheery posts or group invitations spread through Facebook claim that all participants have to do is purchase one gift, usually valued at around $10, provide basic information such as their full name and address, and encourage their friends and acquaintances to sign up as well. It became popular through Facebook first in 2015, BBB said.
But BBB is warning that the so-called “Secret Sister” exchanges are scams that require participants to be continually recruiting more people.Īccording to the BBB statement, a Secret Sister exchange is a gift exchange conducted through social media. The name sounds like it is just another “Secret Santa” experience, in which coworkers, family or friends agree to all anonymously match up and give each other gifts. A gift exchange called “Secret Sister” that has spread through social media is actually just a gift-wrapped pyramid scheme, according to the Better Business Bureau.
0 kommentar(er)
