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Geocaching "Cheaters"


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I delete logs from people who obviously didn't find my caches.

 

In a few cases, it appeared that some geocachers simply entered the wrong GC Code when they logged their "finds," since all their other smileys for that day were in their home areas. (I've done this myself more than once -- and still have the souvenirs to prove it.) In those situations, I sent polite emails explaining what had happened and deleted their logs. Most of them sent a reply apologizing for their mistake.

 

In one instance, a geocacher logged a find for one of my Challenge Caches without meeting any of the requirements. I sent an email explaining how Challenge Caches work and deleted their "Found It."

 

In another instance, a geocacher completed all the requirements for one of my Challenge Caches but couldn't find the cache's physical container, assumed it was missing, and logged a "find." I sent an email explaining that I didn't consider this to be a legitimate find, deleted their log, and invited them to log a find once they had found the cache container (which wasn't missing).

 

Then there was the overseas geocacher who logged one of my caches among numerous other "finds" that day in far-flung locations scattered across the world. After confirming that their name didn't appear on my cache's log, I simply deleted their log without bothering to send them an email.

Edited by CanadianRockies
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I dont particularly care to be honest.

 

If the best option for them is to cheat the system and log a find without finding it, more for all them

 

Chances are, being cheaters, they may also be those who dont replace caches properly and make them vulnerable to muggling so i'd rather them cheat and not touch the actual cache.

 

Cheaters never prosper, unless you're a footballer but thats another issue!

 

I returned three times to one cache and about 5 to another before finding it, it just adds to the joy of finding it when your finally do, cheating brakes the game.

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Sent the person an email, if I was in the mood. Assumed it was just an honest mistake. Maybe got a reply, but not always. The person maybe changed the log, but not always. Then I forgot about it and went to the forums to watch people argue about micro spew, armchair logs and whatnot...watched a little television and went to bed.

 

That's funny right there

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cheating brakes the game.

I thought people cheat to make their points go up faster. I think you meant cheating "breaks" the game.

 

However I don't agree with that either. I've never seen a bogus log that interfered with my ability to enjoy a cache. I have heard apocryphal stories about people who wasted a tank of gas to look for a missing cache because a bogus log made them think it was there. I suppose this could happen, but I would think one could still have had a lot of fun on a road trip finding other cache along with looking for this one, and not count the whole trip as a waste.

 

The biggest "breakage" due to bogus log is for the people whose knickers get in a twist over it. Remember that there's no prize, no leaderboard, and no trophy; so if someone is getting enjoyment from logging bogus logs they have a problem, not you.

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Go and check all of the other caches they have found within a 50 mile radius, and compile a dossier with the results. Make about 1000 copies and pass them out at the next few events during a fake finder fact finder meeting. Notify the local geocouncil to have their certification voided, and then notify the police to have them charged with fraud. Next, conduct a thorough interrogation to see if they have read, or own any media by the leftist tozamboku organization.

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The biggest "breakage" due to bogus log is for the people whose knickers get in a twist over it. Remember that there's no prize, no leaderboard, and no trophy; so if someone is getting enjoyment from logging bogus logs they have a problem, not you.

Cheating is a problem because it makes the word "geocaching" less meaningful. It's not a big problem right now because there are cultural norms against cheating. But if the "anything goes" attitude takes hold, then it could become a bigger problem in the future.

 

Cheater: I ran a mile in 3:27 today.

 

Skeptic: I find that hard to believe.

 

Cheater: I did it on my bike.

 

Skeptic: Bicycling isn't the same as running.

 

Cheater: It is to me. And who am I harming by calling it the same thing?

 

Skeptic: You're harming people who want to communicate in a meaningful way.

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There are none in my area but on the forums I've heard of many people who do this. If it happened in my area I'd just send a quick email to the CO saying that the person wasn't actually there and they could maybe delete their log. If it was my cache I'd delete the log and go about my day, those people are just idiots trying to get good stats while they aren't actually playing the game.

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I'm curious to know if anyone out there has known about someone who logged a cache as found but didn't actually find it? What do you do when this happens?

 

Let's see we have Adroit Seeker (AS) here that logged over 350+ caches that he didn't find. He swears up and down that he did the cache at 2:00AM and the cache was behind a locked 7 foot high steel fence yet he can't tell you anything about the cache. Then he he has a friend come down and sign one of the logs and has him take a photo of the log and says see I did it. The only problem is there was a photo of the cache log days after he said he did it and he can't be found. Oh and his friend signed AS's name under his....

 

I would disagree that it doesn't ruin the enjoyment of the game. I was recently in Nevada where he did and ran into many cachers from there who asked me if I was like him logging caches I didn't find. I spent more time trying to deflect questions than talking about caching.

 

There appears to be more and more of this. CO's rarely want to get involved because in this case AS did over a hundred caches from that CO and he doesn't want to fish through the logs to delete them.

 

Phil

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Nothing. I've seen people call other people out on this and it never ends well. If you're planning on calling someone out you better have pretty solid proof because logging ambiguities take place all the time for all sorts of reasons. I'd also consider how 'worth it' it is because calling someone out for cheating is like something a little kid would do when playing at recess.

 

That said, as a cache owner, I do feel some (albeit little) obligation to delete bogus logs, but again, if I didn't have rock solid proof, I'd just go on my way and continue to have fun playing, because it's just not worth it.

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I don't worry about it. If I noticed someone doing it a lot I would probibly delete them but have not came across that yet. Also if someone goes to find one of our caches and logs a DNF and I go and discover it is missing then I am fine with them logging a find on it as it was not there fault they didn't find it as it was not there. I don't see a need for them to go back. They probibly spent more time there looking then if it was there. If I find it there then they need to go back as I had to go back there to check.

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I'm curious to know if anyone out there has known about someone who logged a cache as found but didn't actually find it? What do you do when this happens?

 

Publicly Smite them. :laughing: Sorry, couldn't resist with your username. There's like 3 similar threads floating around, are they all about the same account?

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I wonder why COs are sometimes so delicate about cache maintenance and say "I don't mind" when it comes to bogus logs. These logs can be of different nature of course, there may be cache seekers who didn't understand basic rules. But since the topic starter talked about someone who "actually didn't find the cache" I think it means "we know for sure he didn't find but logged the cache as found". Cheating is a bad example for other players (including newbies and potential members of the game). They may don't understand it's cheating from logs at gc.com but know that it's acceptable to do in geocaching from personal communications, blogs, etc.

 

IMHO CanadianRockies provided a good example and explanation above (#15).

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I dont particularly care , to be honest.

 

FIXED IT FOR YOU. NEEDED A COMMA

 

PAul

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

 

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

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Nothing. I've seen people call other people out on this and it never ends well. If you're planning on calling someone out you better have pretty solid proof because logging ambiguities take place all the time for all sorts of reasons. I'd also consider how 'worth it' it is because calling someone out for cheating is like something a little kid would do when playing at recess.

 

That said, as a cache owner, I do feel some (albeit little) obligation to delete bogus logs, but again, if I didn't have rock solid proof, I'd just go on my way and continue to have fun playing, because it's just not worth it.

 

If it's my cache, my response will be on an individual basis. It's really not that important to me, but I also don't want to encourage it by ignoring it. Luckily, I don't normally have to even think about it. Over 6500 found it logs on my cache and I have only had to delete one.

 

If I know that it is happening with someone elses cache, and I am friendly with the CO, I would probably mention it in confidence and let them deal with it. I would never call someone out in public. I do have a story about something I observed with a particular cacher, that I have told my friends. They just shake their heads and say, "I thought so".

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I dont particularly care , to be honest.

 

FIXED IT FOR YOU. NEEDED A COMMA

 

PAul

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

 

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

 

I have to admit that i let out a little chuckle when i saw your first reply. My first thought was that you were a politician or a used car salesman. :laughing:

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I dont particularly care , to be honest.

 

FIXED IT FOR YOU. NEEDED A COMMA

 

PAul

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

 

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

 

I was not trying to correct punctuation, or even trying to lecture, because, as you noted, I am not qualified to do so. My intent was simply to make sure that the comment was understood because there is a big difference between

 

I don't particularly care to be honest

 

and

 

I don't particulary care, to be honest.

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Then we have Throw-Downers. "The cache is missing, or I cannot find it. So let me throw down a container and claim a find. I'm not going to post a DNF! I deserve a Found It!"

I looked at two of these recently. One was a glass Lock and Lock under a bush in a well manicured park. I'm surprised that it last two months! Two throw downs so far. Last one completely misunderstood the cache. No. The "Light of My Life" is my child. Not the lamp post! Wrong container. Wrong location. But he was not about to claim a DNF, when he could throw down a conainer, far from the original coords. And permitted his two children to log the 'find'. What is he teaching them?!?

The other is by a cacher who does not visit the pages often. We found the orignal (well, the second placement of the original.) Finder before us could not find it (and blamed Hurricane Sandy). He put out a different container in a different spot, and claimed a find.

Sorry. Neither of you found the cache. You lied. And you cheated. What is this world coming to?

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I don't understand the throwdowns.

"Seems to be" nice people who just can't bear the idea of a DNF, or just flat-out cheats?

Odd.

We've driven hundreds of miles and claimed DNFs on hides.

- We've been told they go on our permanent record. :o

When we visited Costa Rica, we found 9 caches...and logged 7 DNFs. There's a bit of a problem with non-locals not maintaining caches there.

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I dont particularly care , to be honest.

 

FIXED IT FOR YOU. NEEDED A COMMA

 

PAul

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

 

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

 

I was not trying to correct punctuation, or even trying to lecture, because, as you noted, I am not qualified to do so. My intent was simply to make sure that the comment was understood because there is a big difference between

 

I don't particularly care to be honest

 

and

 

I don't particulary care, to be honest.

 

It was funnier without the explanation.

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I dont particularly care , to be honest.

 

FIXED IT FOR YOU. NEEDED A COMMA

 

PAul

 

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

 

I was not trying to correct punctuation, or even trying to lecture, because, as you noted, I am not qualified to do so. My intent was simply to make sure that the comment was understood because there is a big difference between

 

I don't particularly care to be honest

 

and

 

I don't particulary care, to be honest.

 

It was funnier without the explanation.

 

Uh yeah but not sure if "everyone" would have seen that.

 

Oh and regarding the bold text below, our caching name is MA & PA which comes from our first names Marielle and Paul and MA & PA were our trail names on the Appalachian Trail. These days I often sign caching items as PAul. It indicates which one of us has written the message and it makes it kind of personal in my opinion, to give my real name.

 

 

Ok, I'll bite..

 

You forgot your full stop, failed to start your second sentence properly and have a capital letter where it shouldn't be.

 

If you're going to lecture someone on punctuation, do it properly.

 

:P

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

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I feel this happens a lot why do you think there so many out there with thousands of finds.

there should be a code for each cache hidden in the cache to report your find.

If Geocaching.com wanted to make it so you could not cheat, they would use a code that you could scan......

Oh wait, that system is already out there. If you don't scan or if you scan the code more then 50 ft from set location, it will not let you log the find.

 

Later,

MrDLG2u

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

Another option would be to change your "Found It" to a "DNF," and put the cache on your Ignore List. There is no requirement that you must find every cache in existence. If you don't enjoy that cache, then what's the point of searching for it again?

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I feel this happens a lot why do you think there so many out there with thousands of finds.

there should be a code for each cache hidden in the cache to report your find.

Sure, that would work. Because no one would ever share the codes with other like minded pseudo cachers who also like to cheat and pad their numbers on a website where the numbers don't matter and there aren't any prizes. :rolleyes:

 

PS-/sarcasm off-this is precisely why code word caches are not allowed here.

 

Maybe there are just some people who like to find a lot of caches?

Edited by wimseyguy
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If Geocaching.com wanted to make it so you could not cheat, they would use a code that you could scan......

Oh wait, that system is already out there. If you don't scan or if you scan the code more then 50 ft from set location, it will not let you log the find.

 

 

I tried to scan something with my Montana but could not find the right button.

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

If you feel you really must find that cache go after it before or after normal business hours when you're less likely going to encounter people in cars or walking through the parking lot.

 

As far as "the only place it could be hidden" goes, I know of a cache where the coordinates lead you to a lamp post in a parking lot with no other features that could obviously be used to hide the cache. It's not in the lamp post. There's a creek bed and tunnel that runs underneath the parking lot where the cache is actually hidden. There are a lot of DNF and NM logs on the cache from people that assumed that "it must be missing".

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

If you feel you really must find that cache go after it before or after normal business hours when you're less likely going to encounter people in cars or walking through the parking lot.

 

Or, just go up the skirt, lift it, grab the cache and sign the log. Don't worry about who may see you. Act like you belong there and are doing somehting you shoudl be.

 

That's what I do these days. No issues yet.

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

If you feel you really must find that cache go after it before or after normal business hours when you're less likely going to encounter people in cars or walking through the parking lot.

 

As far as "the only place it could be hidden" goes, I know of a cache where the coordinates lead you to a lamp post in a parking lot with no other features that could obviously be used to hide the cache. It's not in the lamp post. There's a creek bed and tunnel that runs underneath the parking lot where the cache is actually hidden. There are a lot of DNF and NM logs on the cache from people that assumed that "it must be missing".

 

Well, since the Hint is "Look closely... under the skirt", I think it's safe to say it's hidden under the pole base cover. :)

 

As for "regular business hours"...there are several restaurants and a liquor store there, so we'd be talking after midnight for that.

Edited by J Grouchy
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If Geocaching.com wanted to make it so you could not cheat, they would use a code that you could scan......

Oh wait, that system is already out there. If you don't scan or if you scan the code more then 50 ft from set location, it will not let you log the find.

I tried to scan something with my Montana but could not find the right button.

Time to upgrade :lol: lol

my phone is always in my pocket.

my caching bag does not always get into my car.

 

Later,

MrDLG2u

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

If you feel you really must find that cache go after it before or after normal business hours when you're less likely going to encounter people in cars or walking through the parking lot.

 

As far as "the only place it could be hidden" goes, I know of a cache where the coordinates lead you to a lamp post in a parking lot with no other features that could obviously be used to hide the cache. It's not in the lamp post. There's a creek bed and tunnel that runs underneath the parking lot where the cache is actually hidden. There are a lot of DNF and NM logs on the cache from people that assumed that "it must be missing".

 

Well, since the Hint is "Look closely... under the skirt", I think it's safe to say it's hidden under the pole base cover. :)

 

I kinda figured that the cache really was under a lamp skirt, but my anecdote was just an example of what can happen if one assumes "it could only be hidden in one place".

 

 

As for "regular business hours"...there are several restaurants and a liquor store there, so we'd be talking after midnight for that.

 

I would bet that the parking lot would be pretty empty at 6:00AM. A few years ago I found a cache that was near on a fairly busy street and within 20' of the windows of a well known business that sells overpriced coffee. I can't imagine trying to pry the container out of it's location (it took me several minutes after locating the container) without being seen by someone during "regular business hours". However, I found it at around 8:30AM on January 1st and it was like a ghost town. I could have probably done it naked and nobody would have noticed.

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If Geocaching.com wanted to make it so you could not cheat, they would use a code that you could scan......

Oh wait, that system is already out there. If you don't scan or if you scan the code more then 50 ft from set location, it will not let you log the find.

I tried to scan something with my Montana but could not find the right button.

Time to upgrade :lol: lol

my phone is always in my pocket.

my caching bag does not always get into my car.

 

Later,

MrDLG2u

 

Upgrade? Why? Because you're worried about my find count? I think not.

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

I am curious. Serious question. What would have happened if you didn't log it?

 

This game becomes so much different once you realize that you don't have to find every cache. I had a LPC cache in my local supermarket parking lot. I parked and shopped there once a week for six months before the parking space in front of it was open and I parked in it. Since I was there, I grabbed it and signed the log, then logged it online. If it would have gotten archived in that six months, no big deal. I simply don't have to find every cache. Had another one just opposite the front door of a 24 hr Fedex store. Way past my comfort level, so I just waited a year for the store to be closed and relocated.

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Confession time: A local LPC I've been trying to clear since I started caching. I know precisely where it is...only place it COULD be since it's literally in the middle of a giant parking lot and there is nothing else around to hide the cache on. I've tried about four times but every time there is someone either sitting in their car who can see me or people walking by. I really just don't want to put any more effort into an LPC, so I logged it and since then I actually have felt bad about it. And it's not even a fun cache! I'm probably going to try again to sign the log just so I can get it off my conscience. Sad, I know.

 

I am curious. Serious question. What would have happened if you didn't log it?

 

This game becomes so much different once you realize that you don't have to find every cache. I had a LPC cache in my local supermarket parking lot. I parked and shopped there once a week for six months before the parking space in front of it was open and I parked in it. Since I was there, I grabbed it and signed the log, then logged it online. If it would have gotten archived in that six months, no big deal. I simply don't have to find every cache. Had another one just opposite the front door of a 24 hr Fedex store. Way past my comfort level, so I just waited a year for the store to be closed and relocated.

 

It's probably a small case of OCD on my part. I'm trying to clear out everything within about a mile or two of my office. A few can't be done just yet (one is in a drainage ditch that I can't go into in my work clothes, two are challenges that will take a while for me to clear, one is a multi with one stage I can't find and am not sure is there).

 

Like I said, I'm planning to sign...just not worrying so much about updating the log.

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If Geocaching.com wanted to make it so you could not cheat, they would use a code that you could scan......

Oh wait, that system is already out there. If you don't scan or if you scan the code more then 50 ft from set location, it will not let you log the find.

I tried to scan something with my Montana but could not find the right button.

Time to upgrade :lol: lol

my phone is always in my pocket.

my caching bag does not always get into my car.

Later,

MrDLG2u

Upgrade? Why? Because you're worried about my find count? I think not.

No, I am not concerned about anyones counts... upgrade because its a new game :lol:

I never understood why anyone would cheat at something that is just for fun.

Kind of like cheating on the number of push-ups I do in my workout... :D

 

Later,

MrDLG2u

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