Police warn Facebook users of 'Secret Sister' gift exchange scam
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Police say that the secret sister gift exchange on social media is a scam and illegal.
It sounds like a great idea: you buy your secret sister a $10 gift and then in return, you receive 6 to 36 gifts in return.. Unfortunately though, this is a scam, says the Better Business Bureau. They are warning people to not participate, as usually you do not get any gifts back in exchange.
A police station in Wisconsin is even warning people about the scam.
Better Business Bureau spokesperson Erika Urdaneta says that not only is this a scam, but it is also illegal. She says that "in essence, it's considered gambling because you are paying to get money back. Consumers should be very careful with this."
Getting involved with a pyramid scheme like this could be dangerous, the Better Business Bureau warns. Urdaneta says that "what's scary is when you put your personal information, you don't know what they're going to do with it. This is your home address because you're expected to get those gifts to your home address."
The Better Business Bureau recommends you just do gift exchange with actual people you know.