Organized Muggling

[+wigoweb]

According to some recent postings on FaceBook, someone has started a web site called {edited out} with the purpose of selling memberships to people who will find and destroy caches. These destroyers are expected to video their vandalism and post the videos. I looked at the site today and it seems to have no videos posted yet. However, I did not pay any fees, so I could not log in to the site. It may be that I cannot see what paying members have done.

 

This same person seems to have had a similar project about four years ago according to the home page for the site.

 

Is this something that Groundspeak might address?

 

Are there other sites dedicated to destructive muggling?

 

I did search the forums for "{edited out}" with no results.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Sapience Trek

[+Sapience Trek]

These sorts of things come and go every so often. It's best to just ignore them and not give them the attention they crave. They usually get bored quickly.

 

(I have edited the website name out of your post)

[+VTMountainBiker]

You would think if they're anti geocaching maybe because of the so called trash left in the environment, that they would use there brains for good and volunteer to pick up trash around that isn't being used for a world wide game.I don't know that just one of the reasons I've seen why they have those websites.

 

But they do die pretty quick.

Edited August 25, 2016 by VTMountainBiker

[+JL_HSTRE]

These sorts of things come and go every so often. It's best to just ignore them and not give them the attention they crave. They usually get bored quickly.

 

The problem with bullies is while one bully may get bored other bullies will follow in their wake.

 

And sooner or later you find a one who doesn't get bored easily.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Joshism

[+MKFmly]

Scraped from site,

 

OUR CODE:

 

Basically, we will not muggle any caches (PNG or caches with difficulty ratings of 1-2) set for beginners, military veterans or churches. Mostly for respect and to allow families and children to still enjoy the game/sport at the NOOB level.Our main goal is to get rid of the unwanted caches or “trash” as we call it and or caches that are in direct violation of geocaching standard rules such as located on private property, etc. As this is a public page here, we will let it be known we will muggle other caches at will with regards to our CODE so geocachers beware. At the same time, most of us all have some decency so if we geocache and feel like it was an excellent cache no worries! We could just leave yours alone as we do enjoy the sport/game as well as you guys. If you make enemies though, or take a geocache spot or aka become a GEO-HOG don’t be surprised if you get muggled! Also, to put into words here…

 

if your cache has been muggled, do not waste your time here as we do not and will not make known any identifiable methods for you to see who, when, where and why your cache was muggled. Reasoning…guess what? We don’t have to. Go try again with your tupperware and maybe move the location 😉

[+Ben0w]

The appropriate name for those type of "cachers" was Cache Maggots, as far as I remember. Not Muggle, which is a reference to people not knowing (sufficiently enough) about geocaching.

[+narcissa]

Emotional name-calling only reinforces and rewards their behaviour. Don't give them the satisfaction.

[+L0ne.R]

Scraped from site,

 

OUR CODE:

 

Basically, we will not muggle any caches (PNG or caches with difficulty ratings of 1-2) set for beginners, military veterans or churches. Mostly for respect and to allow families and children to still enjoy the game/sport at the NOOB level.Our main goal is to get rid of the unwanted caches or "trash" as we call it and or caches that are in direct violation of geocaching standard rules such as located on private property, etc. As this is a public page here, we will let it be known we will muggle other caches at will with regards to our CODE so geocachers beware. At the same time, most of us all have some decency so if we geocache and feel like it was an excellent cache no worries! We could just leave yours alone as we do enjoy the sport/game as well as you guys. If you make enemies though, or take a geocache spot or aka become a GEO-HOG don't be surprised if you get muggled! Also, to put into words here…

 

if your cache has been muggled, do not waste your time here as we do not and will not make known any identifiable methods for you to see who, when, where and why your cache was muggled. Reasoning…guess what? We don't have to. Go try again with your tupperware and maybe move the location 😉

 

Their website is very creepy.

[+dprovan]

Their website is very creepy.

What's weird about it is that the existing NM/NA reporting mechanism is designed to achieve their stated goals, goals which most of us share. It's like someone telling everyone they're goals are to eliminate litter on the streets, then they talk about how they'll be patrolling the streets armed with automatic weapons to make sure all the litter is eliminated. (And that they'll leave any litter which has been left on the streets by people thinking about veterans.)

[+Manville Possum]

Wow, that site is creepy in a spooky geocaching way.

[+tallglenn]

I wonder if the owner of the site has been incarcerated for the past 4 years.

[+jonnycouk]

It's amazing how sad and lonely some people are. I feel sorry for the person behind this site. Maybe someone isn't giving them enough attention or not written nice things about their own cache, they spent ages preparing.

 

In my Geocaching ignorance (being new to it still) I feel relief in thinking, at least they're out killing Tupperware boxes with a lonely heart and not killing people with automatic weapons.

 

Maybe all they need is a hug from Mum, and to be told; sometimes life is hard.

[+JL_HSTRE]

The "code" quoted is strange. At first it seems like they want to be caching vigilantes because the rules aren't being followed. However, removing caches on private property but not removing PnGs is contradictory since most are parking lot hides without permission. In the end their only methodology seems to be "because I feel like it and/or I don't like the CO." Refusing to explain their reasons for removal particularly undermine any high ground they might have tried to stand on.

 

If they really wanted to start a GeoJLA and act as vigilantes removing caches that violate Guidelines but Reviewers won't make an issue over that would be very interesting. As it is this just seems to be some weird intimidation thing.

[+Mudfrog]

Unless one of the locals took it upon themselves to somehow figure out who it was and then confront them, not much else can be done. I'd betcha the maggot(s) are reading this thread and enjoying their 15 minutes of lame fame. Would probably be best for us to do 2 things, ignore their stupidity and let this thread die.

[+bflentje]

I love the game and am I ANTI-cache-maggot. But the only thing funnier than the website-to-get-your-reaction are the comments from the peanut gallery.

[+Manville Possum]

A Secret Society of Geocachers?

 

*** If you’re new to geocaching, you MUST have another account with a geocaching site that does not muggle caches such as geocaching.com, opencaching.com, etc. Once you get the account there, check out the sport/game and then decide for yourself who’s side you’re on…if you want to cleanup our land, our parks, our cemeteries, historical landmarks from these caches, or simply want to police the caches that are mis-represented, then join us and MUGGLE them today! ***

 

The owner must have been out of the loop for awhile, opencaching.com went away like some of the posts here in this thread last Aug. 16, 2015.

 

I'm guessing that this site that can't be named here has Groundspeak worried for some reason, but that was only after a few posts here were moderated. Until then I thought it was just a scam to get $29.99 from persons that join.

[+TheVoytekBear]

Unless one of the locals took it upon themselves to somehow figure out who it was and then confront them, not much else can be done. I'd betcha the maggot(s) are reading this thread and enjoying their 15 minutes of lame fame. Would probably be best for us to do 2 things, ignore their stupidity and let this thread die.

 

you mean like what I found in there?

 

Earlier today, ****.net owner Gerald Roman contacted It’s Not About The Numbers to apologise for his “stupid idea”. “We have shut down our Off The Grid Caching and ****.net sites because of threats (to myself and my family) but also because we have made a mistake. We just did the site to add a twist to the game but have realised it was stupid idea.”

 

So basically the guy is stupid again...

[+narcissa]

This game attracts a wide variety of people. Unfortunately, once in a while, it attracts bad people. There's no sense to be made of this, because these people don't base their actions on sense. They just want to create mayhem and take delight in hurting people.

[+AKStafford]

This is also getting some discussion on the subreddit for geoaching.

[+Ben0w]

A Secret Society of Geocachers?

...

Until then I thought it was just a scam to get $29.99 from persons that join.

I still think it is - plus beeing overly stupid. Who will pay for a "service" like that?

[+JL_HSTRE]

Is Gerald Roman the same "ROMAN!" who used to be on these forums and frequently make...unusual statements?

[+GeoBain]

Is Gerald Roman the same "ROMAN!" who used to be on these forums and frequently make...unusual statements?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

But Roman! lives in Canada and Gerald Roman claims to be from Florida.

[+The Rat]

I don't know anything about that site but there are people who deliberately set out to destroy or remove geocaches. There was one in the Alviso, CA area back in the very early days. The solution was PMO caches, multis, and hard puzzles. Whoever he was, he apparently didn't have enough interest or smarts to put in the money or time or effort to find or solve them.

Edited August 31, 2016 by The Rat

[CacheMonkeez]

According to some recent postings on FaceBook, someone has started a web site called {edited out} with the purpose of selling memberships to people who will find and destroy caches. These destroyers are expected to video their vandalism and post the videos. I looked at the site today and it seems to have no videos posted yet. However, I did not pay any fees, so I could not log in to the site. It may be that I cannot see what paying members have done.

 

This same person seems to have had a similar project about four years ago according to the home page for the site.

 

Is this something that Groundspeak might address?

 

Are there other sites dedicated to destructive muggling?

 

I did search the forums for "{edited out}" with no results.

 

It was probably I who was the OP who outted [the website]. I found them on the Swamp Hikers FB page and had a rather rude conversation with them. [link removed]

Edited September 1, 2016 by Keystone

[+hzoi]

Is Gerald Roman the same "ROMAN!" who used to be on these forums and frequently make...unusual statements?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

But Roman! lives in Canada and Gerald Roman claims to be from Florida.

 

Are you suggesting that Romans, or coconuts, cannot migrate? The swallows could grip them by the husk. I mean, hair.

[+WarNinjas]

I have told this story before but my daughter got a local muggle to stop. I guess he was a high school kid who called himself "The rain of Terror" He liked to find caches and pee in them. We hid a large cache and after a few months got a report from a cacher that he found it peed in and even #2 in. This hide is hidden on my way to work about 20 miles from home so I had never heard of him but quickly got messages from cachers in that local area about how they had to archive there caches because of him. Even when they replaced it he would do it over and over. So I archived it.

Later I told my daughter what had happened to our hide. She was not cool with letting him win and said we had to do something about it. She came up with a idea. (I know it isn't allowed now but it worked) We replaced the hide with a toilet seat and markers to sign it. A few weeks later a cacher said there was a letter left there for us. We went to check it out. "The rain of terror" had taken the time and I could tell it took a lot of time to write us a note with pictures and all. It had some bad words in it but overall you could tell we got his respect and he thought it was really funny. We then replaced it with a regular sized cache and it has now been fine for years and I have never heard of another cache in the area being peed in.

That is our little victory of a cache I would have just archived.

[Pup Patrol]

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=337524

[+wmpastor]

I have told this story before but my daughter got a local muggle to stop. I guess he was a high school kid who called himself "The rain of Terror" He liked to find caches and pee in them. We hid a large cache and after a few months got a report from a cacher that he found it peed in and even #2 in. This hide is hidden on my way to work about 20 miles from home so I had never heard of him but quickly got messages from cachers in that local area about how they had to archive there caches because of him. Even when they replaced it he would do it over and over. So I archived it.

Later I told my daughter what had happened to our hide. She was not cool with letting him win and said we had to do something about it. She came up with a idea. (I know it isn't allowed now but it worked) We replaced the hide with a toilet seat and markers to sign it. A few weeks later a cacher said there was a letter left there for us. We went to check it out. "The rain of terror" had taken the time and I could tell it took a lot of time to write us a note with pictures and all. It had some bad words in it but overall you could tell we got his respect and he thought it was really funny. We then replaced it with a regular sized cache and it has now been fine for years and I have never heard of another cache in the area being peed in.

That is our little victory of a cache I would have just archived.

 

Three strategies have been recommended in posts - ignore them or talk or call authorities.

 

Talk is least advisable - the 15 minutes of fame, etc.

 

Ignoring them is simple, easy and effective.

 

For hard-core violators, a run-in with the law can be a good thing. Some municipalities use a scared-straight scenario for first time violators. It's: we can prosecute you now based on what you did. But you can redeem yourself. Do xyz act of community service, obey the law, and offense is cleared. HOWEVER, show up here again and we'll throw the book at you.

 

Edit: leniency for violation #1 and a second chance is generally for minors. First time adult offenders get a break, but not as much.

Edited September 2, 2016 by wmpastor

[+TheAuthorityFigures]

Is Gerald Roman the same "ROMAN!" who used to be on these forums and frequently make...unusual statements?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

But Roman! lives in Canada and Gerald Roman claims to be from Florida.

 

Are you suggesting that Romans, or coconuts, cannot migrate? The swallows could grip them by the husk. I mean, hair.

African Swallows, maybe. But then again African Swallows are non migratory.