This is a re-post from last year; I thought you might find it interesting.
Image by swarna rajan - ஸ்வர்ணா ராஜன via Flickr
A Freegle ‘wanted’ ad came into my inbox on Christmas Eve at three minutes past eleven p.m.
Hi everyone I know I’ve left this really late but we were expecting a delivery today of Xmas presents for our 9 yr old girl but they didn’t turn up, so if anyone has anything suitable we would appreciate it, thanks in advance can collect tonight.
No ‘Thank you, received’ emails came through after Christmas so that poor child must have had a miserable Christmas morning.
Perhaps there’s something to be said for starting Christmas preparations in September after all.
The Laughing Housewife 
What a con! I don’t believe a word of it.
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You’ve got to wonder though, haven’t you?
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Think I would agree with Viv – but maybe I’m just too sceptical/cynical!
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It never occurred to me to doubt her but now you and Viv have got me thinking…
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oh that is quite sad..thinking of a child with no presents to open BUT could it have been a con-trick do you think!
Seems strange that someone would put an advert in like that..could be genuine but also could be…..
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I know; it’s got me thinking now…
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Oh Man! I didn’t even think “con”–I was sand for the child. But I can see why no one responded–everyone else must have thought it was some ploy to rip people off on christmas eve.
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Let’s not think the worst. It feels wrong!
Let’s hope she had something to open and it was all OK. But she should have sent a thank you note.
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It would have never occurred to me in a thousand years to ever email someone telling them that my little one wouldn’t have anything to open. I’d be foraging in the forest before I turn to the internet for begging. Was it a con? If it were than SHAME, SHAME using a little girl like that. Life is more bizarre than fiction.
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It sounds like a con to me, too – but what a weird con – why would anyone try to con people out of a last-minute kid’s Christmas gift? Then again, why would someone make an email appeal at almost midnight, for pretty much any reason – doesn’t seem very efficient.
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Desperate times call for despicable measures from deplorable people. I wonder what treasures you’ll find in your email this Christmas Eve? Times are even tougher… 😉
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Many years ago, I used to work on Directory Enquiries, and was working on the night of Christmas Eve going in to Christmas Day. A caller came through at about 2.30am, wanting the emergency number for Marks and Spencers, as she’d bought a turkey which she was having some problems with. If ever there’s a warning never to leave anything to the last minute, that was one… Tilly, your post kind of sounds like that warning too, when you ignore the scam aspect of it! 😀
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I’m having a hard time believing ti was a legitimate email… Hopefully, it was a joke! 😦
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I don’t know which is worse – that it’s true; or that it isn’t.
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