The risk and reward of a social media gift exchange

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Secret Sister Gift Exchange is going around social media. While it may seem harmless and fun to get gifts, some question the legality of the exchange.

"Just the fun of it, the excitement of it,"

said Tonya McMullen, who participates in Secret Sister Gift Exchange.

"You don't know who you're getting it from. The one I received yesterday was postmarked from Missouri."

Tonya McMullen loves the Secret Sister Gift Exchange. You send one gift valued at $10 and are supposed to receive between six and 36 in return.

"I do it every year,"

said McMullen.

"I've had a wonderful experience with it."

It sounds like the perfect gift exchange, but experts say it's illegal.

"You're putting something out there and hoping to get more back,"

said Tony Binkley, who is the CEO for the Better Business Bureau of East Tennessee.

"You put a $10 gift and hope to get six to 36 back. Since it's done through the mail, it makes it mail fraud."

The Better Business Bureau said the gift exchange is a pyramid scheme.

"You get one person at the top to start it then they tell friends,"

said Binkley.

"The bottom is feeding the top, but at some point there will be no bottom."

Binkley said he has a bigger worry.

"The biggest issue for me is not the $10 they may lose or the fact that it's illegal,"

said Binkley.

"I don't believe the federal government will prosecute over this. The biggest issue for me is that they're giving out their personal information."

Folks like Tonya have seen presents stack up.

"I received gifts yesterday,"

said McMullen.

The warning is that it may not always happen and you could be giving away your identity along with a gift.