11/27/2023 0 Comments Holiday gift exchange illegalJust like any other pyramid scheme, according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Secret Sister counts on “the recruitment of individuals to keep the scam afloat. Once the chain is broken - which is usually the case, especially during the holidays when nobody has time to shop for and ship a present to a stranger - the original participant is out $10 and will probably never get one gift, let alone 36! Then, those people have to provide their friends’ information, and so on, and so on… The catch is, participants need to provide not only their personal information, but provide information of members from their social network. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).Īkin to the old-timey chain letters of days gone by, the Secret Sister gift exchange calls for participants to buy one gift of at least $10 value and send it to your “secret sis.” In exchange, they are promised to receive 6-36 gifts in return. What seems like a fun way to bring cheer to many within the social media-verse is actually an illegal pyramid scheme, according to the U.S. While the festive season brings lots of joy and cheer, it also brings out the grinches who are looking to steal not only your holiday bliss, but also your identity and peace of mind. Student Loans for Acclaim FCU by Sallie Mae®.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. 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. 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.
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