+RebelTJ Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 In the past few weeks, myself and a group of people on a Facebook group have been noticing a frightening direction that Jeep TBs are taking again. This direction is involving the sale of Stolen Jeep Property, namely the Jeep Travel Bugs, on eBay by unscrupulous individuals. This also is coupled with the fact that there are people who are willing to pay money for the Jeep TBs either because they know that that they are stolen or not know. Part of the argument towards this activity, which is quite heinous given that these are technically owned by Jeep, Fiat Chrysler America (FCA), and Groundspeak together, is that they were a promotional item given away for a long-past contest. I could not begin to state how much I , and many others, feel that this is wrong and that Groundspeak should partner with eBay to try to stymie the sale of stolen trackable properties on eBay. A couple of past and current auctions on eBay come to mind when I write this post: Current Auction - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Geocaching-Travelbug-Geocoin-/182446943182 Past Auction - http://www.ebay.com/itm/182438605694 (Sold for US $113.50 and what I amount to sale of stolen goods) Past Auction - http://www.ebay.com/itm/122296157579 (Seller Ended Early due to pressure of people emailing him/her about selling stolen goods) Past Auction - http://www.ebay.com/itm/122296146029 (Seller Ended Early due to pressure of people emailing him/her about selling stolen goods but listed it as being no longer available) Past Auction - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Geocaching-Vintage-Old-Style-Travel-Bug-X-2-One-Is-Pretty-Green-Jeep-Other-Is/122289694399 (sold for US $76.00 and had someone else's trackable that was stolen as well) The current auction is listed by a eBay User named "billy_goatee" and likely matches this geocaching member "Billy Goatee" (https://www.geocaching.com/profile/?u=billy+goatee) from Roy, Utah. A few of the other auctions were listed by dodgerboy1239. The closest match to that name that I could find was "dodgerboy" (https://www.geocaching.com/profile/?u=dodgerboy) from Nampa, ID. At best, in order to make it harder to sell stolen coins/TBs/trackables on eBay, Groundspeak could contact eBay and request that eBay require sellers to enter in a tracking code which could query against Groundspeak's database of trackables to return a non-changable Reference Number link in the listing for possible buyers to check for fraud (activated coin/TB, stolen coin/TB). This system could also be set to enter a note on the Trackable that it is being listed on eBay and provide a link. Otherwise, if this sort of thing is allowed to happen, it will further embolden trackable theives to continue to exhibit this sort of behavior and frankly, I am quite frightened to think of how bad it could get. Can I get Groundspeak volunteers and Lackeys to weigh in on this? Thanks Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Can I get Groundspeak volunteers and Lackeys to weigh in on this? They already did. Quote Link to comment
+RebelTJ Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 Can I get Groundspeak volunteers and Lackeys to weigh in on this? They already did. Where? Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 From a site volunteer perspective, I can respond by saying that the issue is above our pay grade. It doesn't relate to reviewing and publishing caches, minding cache listings, translating website pages into local languages, or moderating the Groundspeak Forums. 1 Quote Link to comment
+Manville Possum Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Otherwise, if this sort of thing is allowed to happen, it will further embolden trackable theives to continue to exhibit this sort of behavior and frankly, I am quite frightened to think of how bad it could get. Can it get any worse? Your problem is with eBay for allowing the sale of unattended property being sold by people that take them from geocaches. I know that we use the term "stolen", but placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it. Nothing that Geocaching HQ can do about it, except sell you a replacement. Last time I saw a Jeep TB was in a geocacher's collection. TB's were once a fun part of geocaching, now they just disappear way too quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I know that we use the term "stolen", but placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it. Nothing that Geocaching HQ can do about it, except sell you a replacement. There is absolutely something that Geocaching HQ can do about it. Include at the top of every Trackable sale listing in the Geocaching Store (and provide this info to Geocoin manufacturers to post on their sites), and in the Help Center, this text: "placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it" 1 Quote Link to comment
+Manville Possum Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I know that we use the term "stolen", but placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it. Nothing that Geocaching HQ can do about it, except sell you a replacement. There is absolutely something that Geocaching HQ can do about it. Include at the top of every Trackable sale listing in the Geocaching Store (and provide this info to Geocoin manufacturers to post on their sites), and in the Help Center, this text: "placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it" Don't forget to add "and it will end up being resold on flea bay". Only good news, we can lock our trackables, but those stolen Jeeps end up in a collection. They are quite popular. Quote Link to comment
+Papa EGTH Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Someone else is at it again. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Geocaching-Travel-Bug-Green-Jeep/303027962697 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Geocaching-Travel-Bug-Yellow-Jeep/303027965079 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Geocaching-Travel-Bug-White-Jeep/303027966119 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Geocaching-Travel-Bug-White-Jeep/303027967832 (Justeene) https://coord.info/TBM6VK There appears to be one bidder on all 4 of them. Quote Link to comment
+colleda Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 (edited) Seller also has a bunch of coins and patches going back years. Hoarder sale? Edited January 17, 2019 by colleda spelling typo Quote Link to comment
+steel city babes Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Just came across them too....this is crazy....LOL Quote Link to comment
+Goldenwattle Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Why do so many people collect jeeps? What's so special? Quote Link to comment
+cerberus1 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 4 hours ago, Goldenwattle said: Why do so many people collect jeeps? What's so special? Not sure now, but when we first started the Jeep Geocaching Challenge photo contest winners received a brand new Jeep. It was fun creating to-scale adventures for the things and, who knows... ? An annual photo contest was held from 2004-2007. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 12 hours ago, Goldenwattle said: Why do so many people collect jeeps? What's so special? Fourteen years ago, the Jeep corporation had a promotion with Groundspeak where toy Jeeps were placed with attached specially designed “Jeep” Travel Bug tags. These may still be found in caches, but they are considered a rare item to find. The ones stolen for sale were kept in better condition, and bring more profit. As mentioned in the OP, these are seen to sell for over $100 each. It's commonly done with stolen Geocoins, too. Quote Link to comment
+elrojo14 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 On 2/13/2017 at 9:44 AM, kunarion said: There is absolutely something that Geocaching HQ can do about it. Include at the top of every Trackable sale listing in the Geocaching Store (and provide this info to Geocoin manufacturers to post on their sites), and in the Help Center, this text: "placing a trackable in a geocache is like tossing it in the garbage and a dumpster diver scavenging it" That was freaking hilarious. I love it. It never once occurred to me to take any of the numerous Jeep TBs I have seen over the years and do anything other than move them. I have been sitting on a gold mine all this time. Quote Link to comment
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