Don't Fall For The Secret Sister Gift Exchange, BBB Says

Surely by now, you've seen the posts going around Facebook inviting women to join the "Secret Sister" gift exchange. It sounds tempting, but the Better Business Bureau is calling it an illegal pyramid scheme and says you'll be falling for a scam.

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The Secret Sister Gift Exchange starts with an e-mail or social media post promising up to 36 gifts if you just buy one gift worth $10.

The process continues where you buy a bunch of gifts and send them to strangers on the list with the hope you'll get one back.

To get up to 36 gifts, the BBB says the whole program relies on recruiting others to keep the scam afloat. Eventually, people will stop buying gifts, the supply of extra gifts will end, and hundreds will be disappointed in spending money with no return.

They say to be fair, there may be some gifts you get in the mail, but even the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says to avoid the scheme altogether.