Have you seen a post from a Facebook friend asking you to participate in a Facebook book exchange? The system is basically an old-school fraudulent chain letter. It won’t work the way you probably expect, and it might be illegal.
The post generally starts with some variation on a message that reads: “I’m looking for people to participate in a huge book exchange”. It goes on to tell people that they will be asked only to buy one book, but they might receive as many as 36 in return.
The post asks users to reply to the message with the word “in”. If they do, they will receive instructions for how to take part, which include asking people to re-post that same image, send a book to a specific address, and then do the same thing for other people.
Facebook Book Exchange
The way the Facebook book exchange works seem fraudulent and that’s why a lot of people are scared to take part. The chain asks you to believe that if you send an item to one person you stand to benefit because you will recruit six more people and they’ll all send you books.
Of course, once you finish those books you send them along to the person who recruited you. And all the books your recruits receive will eventually end up in your hands.
Even if the chain spread all over the world, it would eventually die out when all seven billion people had signed up, and it would die with billions of more losers than winners. You are much more likely to be one of the losers. The letter promises that if you follow the directions, you will receive 36 free books within two weeks. Get more details here.
How the Book Exchange Works
You’ll receive a letter in the mail or a social media invite asking you to buy one book, send it on to a stranger on a list you receive via mail or email, then add your name to the bottom of the list, and, lastly, send the invitation letter on to six friends or acquaintances.
How to Exchange a Facebook Book
Below are the steps you follow once you receive the message and say you are interested;
- Step 1:Repost the image/text I posted (you can post it on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc.)
- Step 2:Send a book to the person you want to. The book can be new or used, but you should send a book you love! Write a note on the inside cover (on a piece of paper and put it inside) so they know who and where the book came from.
- Step 3: When people comment on your post, send them the instructions but change the address in step 2 to my address and change the address in step 3 (this step) to your address.
- Step 4:Receive books; theoretically, if you find 6 people to play along and those 6 people each fund six people, then you should get 36 books. Get more details here.
In case you don’t care, maybe because you’re confident you’re jumping on board early enough that you think you’re guaranteed to be one of the winners, you should know that there’s a good chance it’s illegal. You can get more details about the Facebook book exchange here.
