Facebook does not directly send gifts to users. However, there are some ways that gifts can be sent via Facebook.
Sending Gifts Through Facebook Features
While Facebook itself does not send gifts, there are some Facebook features that allow for sending virtual or physical gifts:
- Facebook Gifts – This was a feature Facebook tested in 2012-2014 that allowed users to purchase and send real physical gifts to their friends through the site. It was discontinued in 2014.
- Facebook Gift Cards – Facebook offers virtual gift cards that users can send to friends. These are electronic gift cards/codes from various merchants that can be bought through Facebook and sent to connections.
- Messenger Payments – Facebook Messenger allows peer-to-peer payments. Users could send a payment as a “gift” to friends through Messenger.
So in summary, while Facebook does not directly send gifts, there have been some Facebook features that facilitate sending virtual or physical gifts. The main way today is through Messenger payments being used for gift-giving.
Businesses Sending Gifts Through Facebook
There are some scenarios where businesses may send gifts to customers through Facebook:
- Contests/Giveaways – Businesses often run contests and giveaways through Facebook. The prizes/gifts are then sent directly to the winners.
- Influencer Marketing – Businesses may send free products to social media influencers in exchange for posts about the product. The initial outreach and arrangements often happen via Facebook.
- Targeted Advertising – Some companies will send free samples or products to targeted Facebook ads. For example, if a user engages with an ad for a beauty subscription box, the company may send them a free box.
So businesses leveraging Facebook for promotions may end up sending gifts directly to customers, although the transactions and logistics are handled off of Facebook itself.
Scams Involving Fake Gifts
While most gift-giving via Facebook is legitimate, there are some scams that users should be aware of:
- Fake contests – Scammers create fake contests or sweepstakes on Facebook to harvest user information and send phishing messages.
- Romance scams – Scammers develop fake romantic relationships and promise gifts they never send in order to gain money or information from victims.
- Facebook impersonators – Impersonator accounts pretend to be Facebook itself or Facebook employees, and message users promising free gifts like laptops if they click suspicious links.
- Fake notifications about gifts – Scammers send phishing links claiming a user has been sent a gift, tricking them into clicking malicious links or revealing login information.
Users should be wary of any promotions on Facebook that seem too good to be true, and never click suspicious links, provide personal information, or send money for promised gifts.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Facebook itself does not send gifts directly to users.
- Some Facebook features like Messenger Payments allow for peer-to-peer virtual gift-giving.
- Businesses may leverage Facebook for contests, influencer marketing, and sending customers free gifts/samples.
- Scammers sometimes use Facebook for phishing scams involving fake gift promises. Users should exercise caution.
While Facebook does not directly send its users gifts, its platform facilitates some gift-giving between individuals and from businesses to customers. However, scams do occur, so users should be careful when promised gifts on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Facebook send free gifts?
No, Facebook does not directly send free gifts to users. Any posts or messages claiming Facebook is giving away free gifts like laptops, gift cards, or other prizes are scams. Facebook only allows paid advertising and does not give away unsolicited gifts.
Can you send gifts through Facebook?
You can send virtual gift cards and payments through Facebook Messenger. However, Facebook discontinued its physical gifts program in 2014. Users cannot currently send physical gifts directly through Facebook.
Why did Facebook Gifts shut down?
Facebook Gifts was discontinued in 2014 after failing to gain widespread adoption. Issues cited included:
- High costs – With Facebook’s revenue share model, products cost more than other sites.
- Inconvenience – The separate Gifts site was inconvenient compared to integrated checkout on other sites.
- Limited selection – Facebook’s catalog of available gifts was much smaller than Amazon or other dedicated gift sites.
Due to these issues, Facebook Gifts never reached mass appeal and was shuttered so Facebook could focus on its core services.
Can businesses send gifts through Facebook?
Yes, businesses can leverage Facebook to send gifts in a few ways:
- Running contests/giveaways and shipping prizes to winners.
- Sending free products to Facebook influencers and creators.
- Following up on Facebook ads by mailing free samples to targeted customers.
While transactions happen offline, Facebook’s targeting and messaging tools help facilitate gift-sending from businesses to consumers.
How do I report a gift scam on Facebook?
To report a Facebook gift scam:
- Click the three dots in the top right of the post or ad to open more options.
- Select “Find Support or Report Post” or “Report Ad.”
- Choose “Scam” as the reason for reporting.
- Add any additional details in the text box.
- Click “Submit Report.”
Reporting fake gift scams helps Facebook identify and remove violating content to improve safety.
What Gifts Are Sent Through Facebook
| Gift Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Virtual Gift Cards | Users can buy digital gift cards from merchants and send to friends through Messenger. |
| Cash Payments | Peer-to-peer payments via Messenger can be used for gift-giving. |
| Contest Prizes | Businesses ship prizes won in Facebook contests/giveaways. |
| Influencer Products | Free products sent to influencers for endorsement and content. |
| Targeted Samples | Free samples sent to targeted customers based on Facebook activity. |
This covers the main types of legitimate gift-sending facilitated through Facebook. Scams may promise other unsupported gifts like laptops or $100 gift cards.
History of Facebook’s Gifts Product
Facebook Gifts was a standalone gift-sending service offered from 2012-2014.
Key Events
- September 2012 – Facebook Gifts launched in the US.
- December 2012 – Added support for physical gifts from brick-and-mortar stores.
- April 2013 – Canada availability added.
- June 2014 – Facebook Gifts discontinued in all markets.
Despite initial interest, adoption of the product lagged behind expectations. Challenges like high costs, limited selection, and inconvenience ultimately led to its shutdown in 2014.
Company Statements on Failure
“People come to Facebook to connect and share, not necessarily shop for gifts. We learned a lot from the experience of building Facebook Gifts, and we’ve used these lessons to improve the experiences we build today.” – Facebook spokesperson
“We tested dozens of gift ideas. The one that showed traction was flowers, so we put effort behind that. No one needs Facebook to get flowers. Facebook is about connecting with people, but people have been sending flowers long before Facebook existed and will do so long after it’s gone.” – Former Facebook product manager
Facebook admitted Gifts did not align with its core value proposition and that existing vertical players had a better product-market fit for gift-giving.
Scam Case Studies
Romance Scam
Jane met Tom on Facebook and they began messaging frequently. Tom said he lived overseas but would send Jane expensive gifts. He asked for money for customs fees and never sent any package. Jane lost over $2,000 before realizing it was a scam.
Fake Sweepstakes
John got a Facebook message saying he won $1,000 in a Facebook sweepstakes. It included a link to claim his prize. He entered his info which was used to steal his identity. No sweepstakes existed and Facebook said the message was a scam.
Facebook Impersonators
Lisa got a message from an account pretending to be Facebook Support. It offered her a free laptop if she completed a survey. The survey asked for financial information to “claim” her prize. No laptop was ever sent.
These examples demonstrate how scammers leverage gift promises to defraud Facebook users. Users should exercise extreme caution when offered unsolicited gifts online.
How Facebook Detects Gift Scams
Facebook uses both automated systems and human review to detect gift scams on its platform:
- Automated systems – Scanning algorithms identify posts with common scam keywords like “free gift” or “claim your prize.” Machine learning models also detect fraudulent behavior patterns.
- User reports – Users can report suspicious posts as scams to Facebook for review.
- Content reviewers – Facebook employees manually review posts flagged as potential scams by users or algorithms.
- Information sharing – Facebook coordinates with law enforcement and shares information on known scam tactics.
Combining these methods allows Facebook to identify gift scams and quickly remove associated posts and accounts to keep users safe.
Tips to Avoid Facebook Gift Scams
Here are some tips to avoid gift scams on Facebook:
- Be skeptical of unsolicited messages offering gifts, especially from strangers.
- Don’t click suspicious links even if they promise exciting gifts.
- Research unfamiliar companies or brands offering contests/giveaways.
- Never pay any form of fee to claim a Facebook prize or gift.
- Use caution when dealing with online romantic interests asking for financial help.
- Secure accounts with two-factor authentication to prevent impersonators.
- Report any suspected gift scams to Facebook immediately.
Staying alert and maintaining skepticism can protect against the majority of Facebook gift scams.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Facebook does not directly send gifts to users, though some features facilitate gift-giving.
- Businesses leverage Facebook for marketing campaigns involving sending customers gifts.
- Scammers exploit gift promises in phishing and fraud campaigns on Facebook.
- Facebook deploys automation and staff to monitor for gift scams and fake offers.
- Exercising caution around gift claims and reporting scams helps maintain safety.
While there are legitimate ways gifts reach users related to Facebook, fake gift promises are a constant scam risk. Staying aware of common tactics and threats allows avoiding losing money or information to gift-related fraud.