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Real published geocache or scam?


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My wife and I both received a message via the geocaching app regarding a cache that looks like a scam...

 

Certain wording like "To play Global Geocaching game, you need foreign geocachers who are from their corners of the world to help you read their coordinates."

 

Sounds suspicious to me... just wondering if anyone else received this message or have thoughts on this published cache? GC8HVCK

 

Screenshot_20230106_115101_Geocaching.jpg

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I've not seen a cache just like this one, but I know there are other "mob caches" out there that require a certain number of geocachers to be in an area, or go to a site, or whatever to get the next stage or whatnot.

 

When I look at it, the GPSr graphic tells me to come back during a certain 2-hour window. Presumably then it would show me partial coordinates, and if I teamed up with others, we could put it together for the final location.

 

There was a previous iteration along the same lines, with over 500 finds. So, I think it's legit.

 

If you don't want to play along, I'd just write back and politely decline.

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It's also possible the person is not an english speaker and is using a translator to change their words from their language to english? I know I've tried communicating with people online in other languages, but I usually include both the english text and the language I'm translating to, so they can compare the mangled mess I sent in their language with the original.

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Yes, I have done several like this

 

https://coord.info/GC2GQJW

 

Das Projekt besteht aus zwei Caches, einer in Heidelberg und einer im Département Ardèche GC2GVZN. Um die Caches zu finden ist es zwingend erforderlich, sich einen Partner im jeweiligen anderen Land zu suchen, der bereit ist, am Projekt mitzuarbeiten.

Translation:  The project consists of two caches, one in Heidelberg (Germany) and one in the Ardèche department GC2GVZN (France). In order to find the caches, it is imperative to look for a partner in the other country who is willing to work on the project.

 

https://coord.info/GC1VMNG

https://coord.info/GC1VMNJ

 

Two different regions need to help each other to find the cache.  To find the cache "here", you need some information from "there" and vice versa.

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I once created a video for my geocaching YouTube channel in which I wanted to highlight the fact that geocachers come from all over the world, speak different languages, but all play this game together.  I used geocaching messenger to reach out to geocachers in possibly 50 countries and got positive responses from geocachers in around 30 countries.  I'd write the email in English and also use a translator for their language.  Each geocacher sent me a video of themselves saying "My name is <geocaching name> and I'm a geocacher from <country>" in their native language.  They also showed a cache and said "Found it!" in their native language.  It was a really amazing result.  You can see it on YouTube if you want, it's called "Geocaching The Global Adventure".

 

The point is that I've used messenger to reach out to geocachers all over the place and have gotten amazing cooperation from people all over.  The geocaching community is wonderful at helping each other even though we don't know each other personally and will probably never meet each other.  While I love geocaching, I think the community is amazing as well.

 

I love the idea of the cache that the OP shared, I think it's a great idea to build a closer community.

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On 1/7/2023 at 3:34 PM, Darwin473 said:

It's also possible the person is not an english speaker and is using a translator to change their words from their language to english? I know I've tried communicating with people online in other languages, but I usually include both the english text and the language I'm translating to, so they can compare the mangled mess I sent in their language with the original.

Yep, when things are translated through apps like Google Translate things seem really weird and awkward. Good idea to put the original in there as well.

 

To OP, good on you for being cautious with what might be a scam!

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