The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a warning to watch out for a scam targeting online Christmas shoppers.
The scam, called the Secret Sister Gift Exchange, is reportedly a pyramid scheme, and leads to serious breaches of personal security.
The exchange invites participants to buy a gift for a stranger worth $10, and claims that by joining in, you could receive up to 36 gifts in return. But there’s a hitch: Users have to fork over significant personal information, like addresses and phone numbers, in the process.
The BBB labelled the Secret Sister Gift Exchange a “typical pyramid scheme,” adding that these types of trades are technically illegal, since those who participate could be committing mail fraud. The Bureau notes that these scams are common around Christmas — the period of goodwill and charity.
The BBB warns consumers to investigate these exchanges thoroughly before signing away information — but goes a step even farther.
“To avoid this scam, the best thing to do is to avoid it altogether,” the BBB said. “Do not give personal information to anyone.”
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