Non-existing travel bug

[AC-BC]

Hi!

Found a travel bug but it cannot be logged (code does not exist in the "system").

I guess the original owner just didn't activate it or something...

 

Is this common and is there anything I can do with this bug?

Pitty cause it travelled quite a long distance with me.

 

 

[+kunarion]

An “Unactivated” TB is in fact in the system, and the site will offer to start the activation process. Watch out, once you type a bad number, any number you type after that is also "Not In The System", even the correct number.  It's just a little joke that Geocaching.com plays on us.

 

There are some errors where TBs aren't in the system, but the one pictured seems to have traveled. Are there more clues, such as a TB listed in the cache where you found it? Did someone mention not being able to log a TB?

 

Is there anything in that number that could be mistaken for other letters or numbers? Anything goes, so a “O” could be a “0”, for example. I've seen a “C” that looked exactly like a “G”, due to the way the gouges lined up. 

You may ask the Help Center. It could be bad if there was public guessing of the number. Then it might start getting weird “virtual logs”.

 

If you figure it out, extra information on both cache logs would be good.  The cache where you got it and the one where you placed it, like "I found TB reference number "XXXXXX", it has a yellow ball and the number is hard to read".  The Reference Number is in the upper right corner of the TB's page and starts with "TB" and is the public reference number, not to be confused with the inscribed secret Tracking Number.

 

AND of course also the appropriate Retrieved and Dropped logs.  That's probably enough info for the TB Owner to know there's a problem.  But you could do one more thing, contact the owner and ask if there's a plan.  Maybe if you have good handwriting and an engraving pen, hand-engrave the same number legibly below the first, with the TB Owner's blessing.  Or add some other very durable item with a readable number, an item that cannot become separated from the other parts. 

 

Without decent logs, and it seems to be the case here, we get what you're getting.  Confusion.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2018 by kunarion
Bats got in my hair.

[+cerberus1]

I agree with kunarian, looks (to me) like it's been around the block a few times.  

 

I'd also try a combination of different letters/numbers that may be similar.  I (eye) for 1 (one) , 3 and 8, 8 and E if real beat, O (oh) for 0 (zero)... 

 - That sorta thing.