To think that people who fall for this 36 free books thing are daft

[scoobyloobyloo]

36 books for buying one book. Why are women I otherwise like and think are intelligent falling for this? What's wrong with them? It's fricking pyramid buying and it's yer mates yer ripping off!

"I am participating in a book exchange for my children So, I need 6 mums, mums to be, grandmas, or anyone interested in the book exchange that will actually participate and follow through. Here is how we play: You must purchase and mail ONE book to a child and then your child receives up to 36 books in return (if all goes well and everyone follows through).You can do this in 10 minutes or less if you order the book through Amazon. Just think of how much fun checking the mail will be for your child with lots of books coming! Let me know if you are interested, and I'll pm you the instructions...it's super simple! First 6 to commit will be in."

Not sure if this has been mentioned upthread - but why on earth would you want to send your kids name and address details out to random internet contacts anyway? Mad.

My degree educated SIL posted this on her facebook this morning and has been putting 'PM me for details' all morning with family members that I know are definitely more vulnerable. I was very surprised!

And how are you going to feel redgoldandgreen if 36 books at approx £180 turn up? Delighted or slightly grubby?

I've had this too. A couple of people on my Facebook have but it on, the second one actually tagged me in so now I'm feeling like a twat for ignoring it.
There is an anti-book exchange fb post going around too which explains why it's a load of rubbish but I haven't shared it for fear of offending people.

I'll see if I can link it on here somehow though hold on ...

Please link Eminybob!

I can't link the fb post but I've found an old thread from whattoexpect.com which is where it it was taken from...

www.whattoexpect.com/forums/hot-topics-1/topic/childrens-book-exchange-2.html

(Scroll down to the cartoon)

Book exchanges are a nice idea, but this is not a book exchange. Not really. A book exchange would mean that everyone gets exactly what they put in: a book for a book. This 36 books for 1 is based on a reliance on growing numbers of people joining the pyramid. It might seem like you're sending a book to the person in front but in fact you're royally fucking the people on the level beneath you (wee bit harsh, I know but still it's what you're doing if you take part fully). Or if not then, the people beneath them. At some point the structure will collapse and some people will get nothing and by participating you're encouraging that and allowing the system to spread.

If you want to do a book exchange then do it. But it needs to be set it up as a circle, not a pyramid, so that everyone gives a book and everyone gets a book. This is how Secret Santas work. Everyone is guaranteed to get something, assuming no one cheats. This 1 book for 36 scheme is nothing like a Secret Santa.

You could also pass on the book after a set amount of time, so that everyone gets to read more than one book for the price of 1 (which raises other ethical issues but that's a whole other thread).

And if it's just the act of giving away a book that appeals there are plenty of ways to do that that don't support such an unfair and immoral system. Donate to refuges, or participate in that charitable Christmas giftgiving scheme...

Btw I realise no one here is deliberately screwing people over. You may well see it as just a kind thing to do, but when its run as a pyramid it really really isn't!

If it's run in a way where everyone gets a fair share, FANTASTIC, dive in.

Point is if it's run as a pyramid it isn't fair and can never be fair.

That is an awesome cartoon!

People don't think about the people above them in the pyramid. They (sort of) imagine themselves being the first person, even though they aren't really.

This is what a friend of a friend has posted on Facebook, I'm guessing because she was getting some stick about it !!!

BOOK THING REPHRASED!!!!

I am participating in a book exchange for My children. If anyone is interested in receiving a book let me know! The book will be hand chosen with love and thought by another participant. Parents, mums to be, grandmas, or anyone interested in the book exchange welcome to join in. Here is how we play: You must mail ONE book which can be second hand, or one that you buy (independent book store preferred) to a name and address privately provided to you. If you then get more people involved your own child child will receive hand chosen and recommended books in return! Just think of how much fun checking the mail will be for your child with lots of books coming, and how nice it will be to share a cherished story with another child! Let me know if you are interested, and I'll pm you the instructions.

I've seen this too recently on FB, and strangely it's Forever Living Bots who are posting it, could it be a new recruiting scheme? You know, if the people who sign up for the pyramid book thing, they might be good targets to sign up to FL too?

Ok this gets on my wick. Yes it would be pyramid selling if we were buying a book on Amazon etc, in this instance I have one of Hs books to a friend of a friends kid and in return some of my friends of friends will send H a book of theirs too. What kind of world do we live in where a chain letter at worst has become a huge scam to be avoided.... I'm so disappointed about this and the way people always want to see the negative in things that could be really nice and friendly if done with proper positive be intent x

Tkt26 If it was organised as a circle where everybody passed one book on to someone else it would be fine, that's a good book exchange. it's the fact that this is set up as a pyramid, promising 36 books for your 1. The numbers needed are unsustainable and some people who take part in good faith are going to lose out.

It's not ethical and shouldn't be encouraged.

And if anyone here has a product-based pyramid scheme bot on their FB that you're frustrated with you should come and join the bot watch thread!
Or you could sign up to our own MLM www.facebook.com/timelessvie

Tkt all the positive and proper intent in the world won't overcome the basic maths which proves in about 30 secs that the 36 books lure is fraudulent

It's not a huge scam, Tkt, because the outlay is relatively small. (Although if you buy new children's books can be pricy.) But that doesn't mean that It's not a scam.

And chain letters ARE to be avoided. They're a waste of resources and time and some of them are downright nasty.

And if your friends of friends don't get sent any books themselves, Tkt? What then?

When I advertised it I say you may get up to 36 books back. I've had this conversation with the friends I've involved and before they did it they agreed that sending one book is nice and they hope to get one surprise book back. We haven't told our kids so no harm there. But you are right in so far as it could have been done as a circle and people if not thinking intelligently could be lured by the 36 but me and my friends are doing it for fun of sending a book that is a surprise and possibly getting a book in return. No one I know is buying one either. As with everything it's about intent. This negativity is so widely out there now that no one is joining this scheme blind. Although, people are changing the words to make the positive intent more clearly known and not the possibility of getting 36. 'Recruiting' 6 friends just increases your chance of getting one book back ;)

Tkt. Recruiting 6 friends doesn't increase your chance of getting a book back it's the only way you'll get a book back. But if you are not in the top couple of layers in the chain you (and how can I make this clearer) not get any books back.

Look at it this way. Repost the offer on Facebook saying this

"some friends and I would all like some free books. Please join this chain so that we can have up to free 36 books. You won't get any books but that's ok because we're doing a nice thing. Btw I also need you to recruit 6 more of your friends into the scheme and no, they won't get any books either"

Let me know how you get on with the take up, won't you?

Ok will do

This negativity is so widely out there now that no one is joining this scheme blind.

People fall for pyramid schemes all the time. despite the masses of negativity around MLM schemes like Amway, FL etc people join up, lose money they cannot afford to lose. This shit destroys lives and people still sign up.

So yes, plenty of people will be joining this scheme blind. Please don't kid yourself that they won't. Particularly the vulnerable, and those who particularly cannot afford to get sucked into this.

Is this on the scale of Amway? Will it destroy lives? No, of course not. But the underlying principle is the same.

And for gods sake it's not negativity to be against pyramid schemes which are based on the principle that ultimately some people will lose out and which take advantage of vulnerable people.

Overall comes across far arsier than I meant it to, sorry, and that's meant to be italics, not underlining.

Every time someone on my FB posts this shite I tell them its a pyramid scheme and is not fair on those that aren't at the top. Its being posted by intelligent people I seriously wonder where they have put their brains when it comes to this not only because its clear that Amazon are making a fortune from it but to also be giving out your childs name and address like this is awful.

I've been shot down and told 'its just a nice thing for the kids' Not bloody nice for the kids that get nothing though.

Fools the lot of them!

The line I have seen on Facebook more than once is 'but it's fun to send a surprise book to a child'. Then send a surprise book to a child. I have a friend whose children love fancy dress, so when I find fancy dress in a charity shop I send it to them as a surprise. If you enjoy sending surprises to children then do it! You don't need a pyramid scheme to do something nice!