Free 'golden snake' ornament post sparks frenzy on HK Facebook groups

A woman offering a decorative golden snake figurine for free on multiple Facebook groups triggered a massive online scramble, with commenters deploying creative pleas and exposing varied human behaviors.

The poster shared photos of an 8-9 inch ornate, cute-version snake wearing a wealth god hat, surrounded by ingots and "attract wealth" coins, packaged in a clear box.

She invited pickup at 1pm at the Wong Tai Sin MTR customer service center for the "fated" recipient.

Comments flooded in, turning the thread into a wish pool. Many politely queued, thanking her regardless. Strategies included filial appeals for snake-zodiac parents' birthdays, new babies' memorials, or personal zodiac matches.

One standout creatively claimed it for "alchemy," promising to share results.

Excitement peaked with assumptions of real gold worth thousands, but savvy users identified it as a 24K gold-plated bank promotional item, valued at HK$360-418 second-hand.

Undeterred, competition continued. The poster selected a winner but struggled contacting them, issuing a 15-minute ultimatum before confirming successful handover the next day.

Netizens praised her generosity—preferring gifting over waste—but criticized greed, rudeness, and reseller attempts, noting the episode vividly displayed human nature more dazzling than the snake itself.