Author Topic: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter  (Read 2750 times)

englishteacheralex

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How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« on: December 08, 2017, 12:22:23 PM »
I have a dear friend who has forwarded this to me with her own message about how she totally wants to try it.

Welcome to our secret sister gift exchange!! Here's how it works:

1) Send one gift value at least $10 to secret sister that is place NUMBER ONE BELOW
2) Remove secret sister's name from #1; then move secret sister #2 to that spot.
3) Add your name to #2 with your info.
4) Copy the secret sister request and that I posted on my wall, to your own wall (or text 6 friends).
5) Then send this info to 6 other ladies with the updated name info.
If you cannot complete this within 1 week please notify me, as it isn't fair to the ladies who have participated and are waiting for their own gifts to arrive.
You can order directly from a web-based service (Amazon, or any other online shop) which saves a trip to the post office.
Soon you should receive 36 gifts! What a deal, 36 gifts for giving just one!

Seldom does anyone drop out because it's so much fun to send a gift to someone you may or may not know...and of course it's fun to receive.
You should begin receiving gifts in about 2 weeks if you get your gifts out to your 6 people right

        1) [Name 1]
            [Address 1]

        2) [Name 2]
            [Address 2]


P.S. Don't forget: move #2 (that would be me) up to #1 and put yours at #2.
Then send to the 6 (or more!) people that respond to your post! Thanks a bunch!!! I'm so excited!!!!


Sigh. I don't even remember why chain letters don't work, I just remember figuring this out twenty years ago in high school and making it a blanket life policy rule of thumb thing (like: Never buy anything from somebody doing an MLM situation, or Never go to a timeshare sales pitch no matter how yummy the free food is, or Never refinance your house to pay down credit card debt). I just don't do chain letters.

This friend is very sweet but we're too old for me to feel comfortable saying...hey, chain letters are a scam; didn't you figure that out in middle school?

How do I explain what a chain letter is and why they don't work?

MOD EDIT: Redacted names and addresses. Even if changed to fake info, don't want someone reading this and trying it by sending something to fake people.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2017, 06:01:55 PM by arebelspy »

renata ricotta

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Re: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2017, 12:27:06 PM »
These seem to come up every December, perpetuated by people who can't do math. If I'm feeling up to it, I link to this snopes article:  https://www.snopes.com/secret-sisters-gift-exchange/

If I'm not feeling up to it, I figure that it's a pretty cheap life lesson at $10ish dollars.

englishteacheralex

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Re: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2017, 01:03:00 PM »
Thanks, Bridget!

I just bought the friend a $10 egift card from Amazon with a message: Friend! This is a chain letter. Not only is it a scam, chain letters are illegal. I think you're great. Here's $10 to soften the blow. Merry Christmas!

Scortius

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Re: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2017, 03:05:02 PM »
Just an aside, you should scrub those names and addresses from the email.

englishteacheralex

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Re: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2017, 03:24:14 PM »
They aren't real. I changed them.

ambimammular

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Re: How to break it gently to a friend that this is a Chain Letter
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2017, 01:33:14 PM »
My 6 year old got one from a school friend with the exact set up, only it was a sticker sheet exchange. We talked a little with her about pyramids, and pulled out some of the stickers she already has. I told her that if she wanted to give some to her friend, she could put them in her backpack to take along.

I pulled stickers off the furniture and walls for a few days after.