7/24/2023 0 Comments Holiday gift exchange facebook![]() (Chain letters that ask for items of minor value, like picture postcards or recipes, may be mailed, since such items are not things of value within the meaning of the law. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but mailing money to participate) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute. They’re illegal if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return to the participants. “There’s at least one problem with chain letters. Postal Inspection Service has this guidance: If you are invited to take part in the secret sister gift exchange, you can report it to Facebook. “It would be easier to go down to the local store and purchase something for $10 and wrap it and give it to them.” If you want to do a gift exchange, the chief suggests doing one through work or with friends you personally know. “My cousin has it on hers and I thought, OK, I’m not going to do it, though, because I don’t know half the people.” Rebecca Kurtz of Lewisburg saw it on Facebook but thought it was questionable. The secret sister gift exchange was popular in 2015 and is making the rounds again. Police in Tennessee also posted a warning to their Facebook page this year: “Sending your private information to somewhere where you have no idea where it’s going to go is very foolish,” the chief said. You could buy a gift and not receive any in return as promised. Gift exchanges are promoted on social media towards the end of the year, promising several gifts in return for one. The United States Post Office considers this a chain letter which is a form of gambling. A gift exchange seems like a great way to spread holiday cheer and take part in the season of giving, but receiving a gift in return is rarely ever the case. The post asks you to mail a gift to someone on a list add your name and address to the list and you’ll get gifts in return.Ĭhief Gill says it’s illegal. “You have no idea who you’re giving that information to, so ultimately what you’re setting yourself up for is identity theft,” said Danville Police Chief Eric Gill. According to investigators, the secret sister gift exchange is a scam. It seemed like this original thing.”īut it’s not an original thing. “The girl who tagged me in it is pretty reliable and is really nice, so it seemed like something she came up with. “At first when I read it, I thought it was pretty cool,” said Coller. The secret sister gift exchange promises that if you buy one $10 gift for someone and add your name to a list, you’ll get between six and 36 gifts in the mail.Īuthorities say it’s too good to be true and illegal.Ĭaitlin Coller of Danville, Pennsylvania, was tagged in a Facebook post. Police are warning people about the “secret sister gift exchange” currently making the rounds on social media, including Facebook. Now that the holiday season is here again, so is a familiar holiday scam. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. The BBB also advised internet users to never give personal information to strangers, and be wary of false claims that are too good to be true - such as schemes that promise to make you rich or offer big returns on little investment.This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The secret sister gift exchange acts like a chain letter, telling. If you're invited to take part in a pyramid scheme on social media, report the offending post. A holiday scam is spreading on Facebook and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning users not to fall for it. You might see references to receiving 'happy mail' or doing the exchange 'for the good of the sisterhood'."Īdvising Facebook users on how to stay safe from such scams, the BBB said the first port of call is to simply ignore pyramid scheme-style scams. ![]() A newer version of this scam revolves around exchanging bottles of wine another suggests purchasing $10 gifts online. Each holiday season the scheme pops back up. "The 'Secret Sister' gift exchange campaign quickly became popular in 2015 through Facebook posts promising participants would receive up to 36 gifts, in exchange for sending one gift. These gift exchanges, while they look like innocent fun, are really pyramid schemes – and are considered illegal. A gift exchange among online friends you haven’t met, well, that’s a little different and carries a heftier consequence. Warning about the scam, the BBB said: "A 'Secret Santa' around the office, friends and family can be fun. So taking part could carry some heavy consequences. It will be right after class on Wednesday, December. Besides leaving participants out of pocket, in America and Canada pyramid schemes are considered illegal. It's time for our annual Holiday Gift Exchange We usually hold this exchange after our Holiday Dance Party, but I want this one to be just for us.
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