(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. You should begin receiving gifts in about 2 weeks if you get your letters out to your 6 people right away.ĭespite the probability that most participants will never receive the promised avalanche of holiday gifts, it’s also worth noting that gift chains are illegal.Īccording to the U.S. Seldom does anyone drop out because it's so much fun to send a gift to someone you may or may not know. Soon you should receive 36 gifts! What a deal, 36 gifts for giving just one! Be sure to include some information about yourself. You might want to order directly from a web-based service (Amazon, or any other online shop) which saves a trip to the post office. If you cannot complete this within 1 week please notify me, as it isn't fair to the ladies who have participated and are waiting for their own gifts to arrive. Welcome to our secret sister gift exchange! Here's how it works:ġ) Send one gift value at least $10 to secret sister #1 below.Ģ) Remove secret sister's name from #1 then move secret sister #2 to that spot.Ĥ) Then send this info to 6 other ladies with the updated name infoĥ) Copy the secret sister request that I posted on my wall, to your own wall. Here's how the exchange is sold to would-be participants: The idea behind the “exchange” is similar to chain letter gift exchanges that were popular in the 90s and email chain letters that were common in the early 2000s. These claims are false, so don’t believe them.Police departments are again warning social media users about the scam. Some pyramid schemes try to win your confidence by claiming they’re legal and endorsed by the government or even BBB. This will open you up to identity theft and other scams. On Facebook, report posts by clicking in the upper right corner and selecting “Report post” or “Report photo.” On Instagram, tap the three dots above the post and then tap “Report.” Never give your personal information to strangers. ![]() If you receive an invitation to join a pyramid scheme on social media, report it. Postal Inspection Services explains that these gift exchanges are considered a form of gambling and that participants could be subject to penalties such as jail time, fines, or a lawsuit for mail fraud. Pyramid schemes are illegal in the US and Canada. Once people stop participating in the exchange, the gift supply stops as well and leaves disappointed participants without their promised gifts. ![]() It relies on recruiting new individuals to keep the scam afloat. Sounds great, right? The trouble is that this is a pyramid scheme. In exchange, you’ll receive anywhere from 6 to 36 bottles of wine. Then, share the invitation on your own social feed. I did this last year and received so many bottles of wine!” The post explains that all you need to do is buy a bottle of wine and send it to another participant. One common version reads: “Hi wine drinking friends!! Let’s do a Holiday Wine Exchange. It works like this, you are scrolling through social media when you see an invitation to participate in a wine gift exchange. This seemingly harmless gift exchange is really a pyramid scheme. If gifting one bottle of wine and receiving dozens in return sounds too go to be true, that’s because it is. This year’s shady holiday gift exchange comes with a new twist, wine, reports the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
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