Don’t fall for this latest Facebook scam
If you come across a “Secret Sister" gift exchange invitation on your Facebook newsfeed then head the other direction, because the seemingly innocent gesture is one giant scam.
The Better Business Bureau issued a warning against the social media con.
Inspired by Secret Santa, the exchange involves purchasing a $15 gift to send to your “secret sister” only to receive 6 to 36 gifts in return.
And while it sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is. The entire concept is shrouded in flaws. It starts off with six people on your friends list spreading the word and recruiting six participants each. Then, the total 36 people involved (six groups of six) are expected to send a gift to the same person on the top of the “Secret Sister” list.
It is then that they recruit another six people to send a gift to the next person on the long list, and while the person who kickstarted the entire gift exchange may receive something on their doorstep, the further your name goes down on the list, the less of a chance you have.
But before you turn to your friend and confront her for attempting to scam you, it’s important to note that they most likely have no idea of the pyramid scheme, and probably shared the post because they thought it would be a nice idea.
The TODAY show revealed that the scheme falls into “illegal gambling” as you receive less than what you originally hoped for.
It’s also safer to not take part in the exchange as handing out your home address and other personal information to strangers on the internet is never a good idea.
The Better Business Bureau advises those who received an invitation to join a “Secret Sister” gift exchange to ignore it and report the post on Facebook.