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Original poster

To not 'mind my own business'

139 replies

buymeabook · 02/11/2015 11:36

Facebook one I'm afraid. Acquaintance advertising for people to sign up to her 'book exchange' scheme. You send 1 book and get 36 in return. I replied saying isn't this just a pyramid scheme, and people at the bottom won't get anything? (It works by everyone signing 6 people up, and you give a book to someone 2 steps up. So by the time you have 11 levels you are up to 60 million people needed....)

She got really shirty with me, telling me to mind my own business if I wasn't interested and not be so negative. I probably should have kept out of it, but she's normally an intelligent enough person and I'm pretty sure wouldn't want to rip anyone off, so put it down to her not really understanding.

(And yes, I am definitely being unreasonable for starting a fb thread).

OP posts:
ShamefulPlaceMarker · 02/11/2015 20:53

I shamelessly have fallen for this Blush
I got sucked in to the books and reading and kids bit! And haven't thought of the logic or maths of it!
I'm a teacher, I have a degree. I'm supposed to be mildly professional Confused
Anyway, I have sent a book out. It was a friend of my sisters so I don't mind too much. I found one my dd has grown out of and it only cost £1.20 to send.
I'm not going to bother with posting my request on fb now, so I know I won't receive anything.
Feeling: stupid!!'n

CalleighDoodle · 02/11/2015 21:02

Lol at not a math teacher Grin

SelfRaisingFlour · 02/11/2015 21:05

I had this because a friend was tagged. I don't know the poster, but I pointed out it is a pyramid. She said it's not, it's just about your children.

I think it's important to point out the idiocy even when it's just books or stickers. . I was stopped a colleague from joining " Women Empowering Women" a pyramid scheme about 15 years ago. She was going to hand over £1,000 and was convinced she would get £36K back. These schemes play on people's greed and poor maths/thinking skills. I think if we let the little ones go or, worse, get out children to participate in these book schemes, we're setting them up to fall for scams in the future.

SocksRock · 02/11/2015 21:07

I've got involved with this as well, and feeling a bit stupid now. What happens if I just send a book to the top person and then decide not to recruit my 6 people? I will definitely feel like an idiot, but what happens to the chain? Will it be noticed that I haven't done it properly?

SocksRock · 02/11/2015 21:08

Oh, and I do have a maths based degree and professional qualifications. I can only blame... well, I can't really blame anything apart from thinking it sounded like a lovely idea

ShamefulPlaceMarker · 02/11/2015 21:34

Yep Socks that's why I was sucked in!
I'm usually resitant to these sorts of things, especially on fb. But I think because it was my sister that posted it, I was sucked in. Also, 5 others had already commented on her thread so them being keen just kurbed(sp?) my enthusiasm without really thinking logically!
Although I've sent a book I too haven't tried to recruit 6 others. The way I'm thinking is that I've helped those thst have already been duped (by sending the book) but saving others from being duped (by not posting a thread)

ShamefulPlaceMarker · 02/11/2015 21:35

Kurbed??... Wrong word! I mean increased!

ShamefulPlaceMarker · 02/11/2015 21:35

Or spurred!

Lweji · 02/11/2015 21:45

Jumping in just to giggle at
"This honestly makes me sad and is exactly what is wrong with the world today."

I think I've spotted that person around MN, only replace sometimes world with MN.

Love the cartoon schemer. Richard Cranium.

itispersonal · 02/11/2015 21:49

i don't see it as a scam!!!

There's no money involved people are hardly going to be selling the books on for profit and can cost as little as a 1st class stamp. If send a book of your own.

Yes it would be lovely if people used libraries, which are slowly dying in council cuts. Or set up your own book exchange club where you meet up and swap books but that isn't always feasible.
I quite like the idea (if you hadn't noticed) I think getting books addressed to your child may get some more interested in reading or looking at books. I think it's unfair to link it with other pyramid schemes which are scrupulous.

AnnaMarlowe · 02/11/2015 21:52

itis it's scam if the organisers ask people to send out books under false pretenses - they know fine well that most people won't get 6 books.

Original poster
buymeabook · 02/11/2015 21:58

itis
That's great if you send out one book and get one in turn.

The problem is the promise that you get 36 back. If you get more than you give, someone must lose out. It is beong advertised as a 'book exchange' but exhange would normally be swapping directly with someone.

OP posts:
itispersonal · 02/11/2015 21:59

If the pyramid works it should be 36 books. But I think people would be happy getting only a couple in return, I personally wouldn't have room for an extra books sent to me.

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 02/11/2015 22:07

well obviously this is a duff suggestion if you are suppose to be sending books for children to read, but if you're sending to adults it's the perfect opportunity to move on those 50shades books

AnnaMarlowe · 02/11/2015 22:08

itis but the pyramid won't work for the majority of participants. And they are joining in the basis that they will get, as advertised, 36 books.

Most people will get none.

SelfRaisingFlour · 02/11/2015 22:11

It is playing on people's greed (send one book and get 36 back). There is nothing altruistic about it. You can dress it up as helping children to read, but really it's all based on the same idea as Ponzi schemes, chain letters, pyramid schemes (like "Women Empowering Women") and multi-level marketing (Juice Plus, Forever Living etc).

They all need new people to feed the pyramid until it eventually collapses. This is why Juice Plus people are always trying to recruit new people into the business rather than trying to sell the stupid product.

Sure these are just cheap books, but people need to see it for what it is if they're not going to fall for the more expensive varieties of pyramid scams and multi-level marketing.

Original poster
buymeabook · 02/11/2015 22:15

It doesn't matter whether it's 2 books or 36. As soon as you get more than you give, someone is losing out. The only difference is the number of people who lose.

OP posts:
SelfRaisingFlour · 02/11/2015 22:31

My SIL has just posted two of these pyramids on Facebook, because "they sound like fun". I'm afraid she got a bit of a rant from me.

Houseof5boys · 02/11/2015 22:48

This appeared on my fb too, however it was joined by a link to Amazon with a note saying you can order directly from either Amazon U.K or USA. I presumed it was a marketing ploy from Amazon!

SelfRaisingFlour · 02/11/2015 23:20

Houseof5boys

Actually the UK book exchange I saw on Facebook did mention buying the books via Amazon. It could be their idea.

Original poster
buymeabook · 02/11/2015 23:28

I can't believe amazon would be pushing a pyramid scheme. The fallout if they were found out would be incredibly damaging. More likely is that amazon is mentioned to make it sound legit.

OP posts:
Mrsbennington · 02/11/2015 23:36

Library every time- we have loads of books we own that the kids are bored of reading.
but they like to chose them FREE from the library.

Avoid all this pyramid selling crap you don't need it.

trixymalixy · 03/11/2015 01:01

Gah, I've just pointed out to some folk on fb how stupid it is and been made to feel like a total grinch. They're all congratulating each other on how nice it all is!!

cecinestpasunepipe · 03/11/2015 01:23

I would imagine that if 36 randoms all sent your child a book, there would be some duplication. I can remember my children getting the same books from friends and relatives at Christmas and birthdays.

BondJayneBond · 03/11/2015 01:43

I think getting books addressed to your child may get some more interested in reading or looking at books.

That all depends on the books received. (I'm presuming that you don't get to send a wish list of books your DC would like to read here). My DC have received a variety of books as birthday / Christmas presents over the years. Some they've loved, some are duplicates of one's we already own, and some do not interest them in the slightest.

The library, on the other hand - the kids like choosing which books to borrow, and they choose books that look interesting to them, and books which they want to look at and read with us. Plus, it's free.