To remind people that the book exchange thing is a scam

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

It's doing the rounds again. Sigh.

For anyone not aware, it's a chain thing typically circulated on Facebook, and tells you that you can get up to 36 books just by sending one book to someone else. But no, it doesn't 'work'. The vast majority of people who join in will not receive any books in return. And if you are one of the lucky ones who did get lots of books, well done on scamming your friends.

Books are great. Giving books to people is a Good Thing. Scamming people isn't. That is all, thank you.

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

@TrickyKid

How is it a scam? There's no money involved. Pretty sure most adults would realise this sort of thing is a waste of time.

A lot of people send new books, and are paying postage. I'm not saying it's a massive amount. Unfortunately, a lot of people see that it's about books and automatically think it's a good thing. A surprising number of people don't question how it is sustainable to receive 36 books when you only send 1.

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

It's a scam because it promises people something that cannot be achieved, and they will spend time and money in good faith.

I didn't realise there was a certain threshold of monetary loss before something could be considered a scam.

[vanillandhoney]

How is it a scam?

[bettsbattenburg]

[quote rosiejaune]You could suggest this to them as an alternative?

www.bookcrossing.com/[/quote]
Oh that looks like a good idea when all this Covid stuff has died down.

[HousesforChickens]

I remember the chain letter thing from the mid 80s, it said had things would happen if you broke the chain. DM threw it in the bin for me as I was terrified 😂

[HelloChompy]

I haven't had the book one but I did get the knicker one in the mid 90's. Sent off 2 pairs and never got any back. I probably paid about £2 per pair. Pretty shocking when I would have been on about £2 an hour as a Saturday job 🙈 A quick Google and I found the letter that I received.

[UntamedWisteria]

not a scam. Just a stupid chain letter.

If I get sent them I never respond, on principle.

I got a recipe one at the start of lockdown, first one I've had in ages.

I thought these things had pretty much stopped since everyone moved onto social media and started sharing their lists of 10 inane crap things.

[CodenameVillanelle]

They were supposed to be new knickers

[BertieBotts]

It's hardly a scam but it should probably be made clear that receiving anything back is not guaranteed and it's only ever "up to 36" not 36 exactly!

If people want to join in why not?

[Teacher12345]

Who wants 36 books chosen by someone else?

I remember almost doing this a few years ago but couldn't suss out how I would end up with 36 books without giving out my home address to randoms.

[LynetteScavo]

Pretty Panties is even worse. Some pervert somewhere was rubbing his hands with glee

[jilliwilliwoo]

It was nothing as vulgar as knickers. It was the Pretty Pantie Exchange. I didn’t receive any back either

[AgentProvocateur]

It’s just a typical chain letter, and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not, so I wouldn’t call it a ‘scam’. People can choose whether or not to do it, and the most they’ll lose is a couple of pounds for postage.

You must have led a sheltered life, OP.

[DuineArBith]

@GreyGardens88

Who wants books cluttering up their house? Apart from the odd coffee table book, Kindle all the way for me

People who want to read things that you can't get on Kindle?

[LynetteScavo]

Why would you want anyone else's knickers?

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

I used to love chain letters when I was a young teen. Great way to practise different handwriting styles and use up some of the letter writing sets i was obsessed with

I also sent off a couple of books a few years ago. Never got any back but hopefully a child somewhere enjoyed the ones we sent them.

[ifigoup]

I did a nail polish one when I was 14 or 15 and got about five bottles, which I was pretty pleased with. My mum went ballistic as she thought people would be pressured into participating and be bullied if they said no.

[GreenSeaGlass]

Haha I did the knickers one too! Early 00s - I was about 20. Didn’t get any knickers ☹️

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I remember the knickers one frim when I was about 15, so early 90's.

[messyhouselady]

Knickers?!

[YummyVeggie]

Knickers???

[cabingirl]

It's a chain letter.

Sometimes the chain is just letters

Sometimes it involves sending a small gift

Sometimes it's an email - I got the recipe email one multiple times this summer.

It's not a scam it's just that most chains fade out really quickly so unless you have very engaged and enthusiastic friends and friends of friends it doesn't work.

I have a set policy that I don't do any chains - emails, letters, gifts, no matter what. But it's fun for some people.

[user135664323455]

I'm sorry, people have been sending knickers through the post to random strangers in the hopes of being sent more random knickers by anonymous people?

Were you all drunk when you did this? What on earth was the sales pitch that convinced you to join in?

[cardibach]

@GreyGardens88

Who wants books cluttering up their house? Apart from the odd coffee table book, Kindle all the way for me

Seriously? I use a kindle, but couldn’t imagine wanting a home with no books. Books are interesting and make a house a home.

[RockinRacoon]

I'd forgotten about this. I got the knicker letter as a preteen. My mum laid down the law about chain letters and I've never participated in any since.
Now recipes would be a different matter!!