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Ah the holidays - a time when there's good will towards men, right?! Not always. You may have seen a"Christmas Gift" or “Secret Sister” gift exchange making its way around Facebook.

And you may have even been tempted to share the following message that has been popping up on everyone’s Facebook feed this week:

With all the negativity around us, let’s create some positivity over the next few weeks leading up to the holidays! Anyone interested in a holiday gift exchange? It doesn’t matter where you live, you are welcome to join. I need at least 6 (or more!!) ladies of any age to participate in a secret sister gift exchange. You only have to buy ONE gift valued at $10 or more and send it to ONE secret sister. Afterwards, you will receive between 6 and 36 gifts in return!! It all depends how many ladies join. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you the information!
Comment below if you’re interested and I’ll send you the details!

WHAT 36 GIFTS!?! RIGHT ON! The only problem is that it’s a scam.

According to wpdh.com:

"Authorities have been warning people about the “Secret Sister” scam since last Christmas. Police say that sharing your personal details and home address with strangers is pretty dangerous, and most likely you won’t wind up getting any gifts at all."

What a bummer!

They go on to say,

"Authorities have been warning people about the “Secret Sister” scam since last Christmas. Police say that sharing your personal details and home address with strangers is pretty dangerous, and most likely you won’t wind up getting any gifts at all.

Even worse, The U.S. Postal Inspection Service warns that the scam is technically a chain letter, something that is a violation of Title 18, Section 1302 of the Postal Lottery Statute. The Post Office says these type of scams are always illegal if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return to the participants."

Ack! You don't want your besties to be in trouble with the law! If you see a friend or family member sharing the post, you might just reply with this link.  They might thank you for saving them some embarrassment or even a visit from the US Postal Inspector.

If you do want to start up a legit Secret Santa, Elfster is a great resource to help facilitate your exchange.

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