The tracking number

[Guest scooterj]

I noticed when looking through the Travel Bug gallery ( http://www.geocaching.com/track/thumbs.asp ) that a lot of people are showing the ccomplete tag, including the 6-digit serial number, in their photos. I personally have so far either positioned the tag to hide the number or cropped the number out on the photos I have posted so far. If the tracking number is plainly visible in the photo, any chump can come along and log all sorts of false activity for that travel bug without ever actually going out and retrieving it. With the tracking number kept secret I feel like anyone who would go through the trouble to actually hunt for the cache and get the travel bug is probably going to play fair. Maybe I'm just excessively paranoid, but I get more enjoyment out of it when I don't give away too much info for free. Thoughts?

[Guest Markwell]

What a devious mind you have. I never would have even considered this type of skullduggery. Good thing my photos that I just took don't have the tags in them.

 

I guess I just have too much faith in human nature (sigh).

[Guest Fotogg]

I just activated my 2 bugs and while doing so I remember reading that you should not share or publish the tag serial number or the activation code. When taking photos of the bugs I just used photoshop to wipe out the number. Having it visible in your photos is probably not good.

[Guest Ttepee]

Thanks that never occured to me. Betterer now

[Guest Ttepee]

Hey look at that, I guess editing the pic sends you back to the top of the gallery.

[Guest glenn95630]

I agree with the concept of not showing the tracking number in the photos but don't kid yourself on the 'security' of the number. You recognized that every person who finds your bug will get the number, but here are two scenarios that you might not have considered.

 

1. Bug finders will also take pictures. It is hard to imagine that everyone will be as careful as you.

 

2. With enough time, anyone could guess your bug number. I actually tried this out and was able to get a couple 'hits'. I forget which bugs, and I didn't actually post anything.

 

I suggest thinking of it like your car. If someone really wants it, you can't stop it. Or think of it like a message in a bottle, you could throw it in the ocean and a person down the beach finds it. He could then send you a letter saying he found it in Maui on vacation.

[Guest martinp13]

When I release my first bug, I'm going to include a "Geocaching Travel Bug" letter with it... similar to the normal Geocaching letter, but with instructions and helpful hints (how to log it, please take a picture but HIDE the serial number, make sure the traveller's box is secure, etc).

 

That gives me an idea... I'm going to try to fashion a little plastic case for the bug tag that will keep the serial number covered... hmmmm....

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

[Guest jeremy]

You can always archive fake posts. I'll also have reset buttons in case someone grabbed it and you want to reset it to the cache it is actually in (for correct timeline). If it gets out of hand I'll also allow folks to "ban" certain users from posting to the bug.

 

I have thought a lot about this. There's no real concrete way to do it, and people will abuse it, so we'll have to rely on common sense. Hopefully it will prevail

 

Jeremy