+thesmurfinator Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Me and the rest of my team have registered a few TB's recently and have noticed people logging them as "discovered" even if they have not been placed in a cache yet and are still in our possession. The comments are usually something like "discovered online" or "in gallery". I presume the purpose of this is to add to the numbers of trackables logged in their profiles, but I just don't see the point. Surely geocaching is about going out and discovering new places and items IN CACHES, not just sitting at home on a computer going though users galleries? Has anyone else noticed this? Also have I missed something that would make more sense of this? Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 (edited) Somewhere, possibly on the TB's page, the tracking number is shown. There are cachers who will log a TB from a number shown in a photograph... (The less honest could use the tracking number to 'Grab' or 'Retrieve' the TB and 'Drop' it in another cache... Hence the need to NOT show tracking numbers in photographs) There are 2 codes for each Trackable. Reference Code this code, beginning with TBXXXX, is visible for everyone who visits the Trackable page. It is a unique reference number for each item. It can be used to log a note to the Trackable. It will be shown after the activation process. Tracking Code this code is stamped or engraved on the Trackable. This is the tracking code necessary to log an action on a Trackable, and is meant to be seen only by people who actually have the item in their hands. Please do not show this number in your uploaded photos or in your online notes. Edited March 31, 2012 by Bear and Ragged Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 (edited) Comments like "discovered online" or "in gallery" are generally related to you (or somebody else) having photographed the trackable and posted it with the tracking number visible. Through the TB and geocoin forum you will find advice to not do that. This opens up the possibility (probability, really) that those items will be virtually logged. A trackable can be locked by Groundspeak for allowing virtual logging. To answer your question directly: They do it simply because they can. I did check your gallery, and I can read some of the tracking numbers photographed. If I can, in my old age, others can too. EDIT TO ADD: The photos do not have to be visible just at geocaching.com. I have seen loads of like photos on other sites like Facebook, etc. Each photo posted somewhere opens more doors for misuse. Edited March 31, 2012 by Gitchee-Gummee Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Sometimes this is just a tracking number typo. 0 (zero) for O (letter) - 1 (one) for l (letter L). Quote Link to comment
+thesmurfinator Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 aha at least I know how now, even if I still don't get the "why" of it. I've blurred the numbers in the photos and I've also deleted the logs, which does take the number OFF the persons trackables logged count. I will not help people cheat thanks for the info and the help Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Pinned at the top: Please Do Not Post TB Tracking Numbers Online! Quote Link to comment
Pup Patrol Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I'll tell you a "legitimate" reason for posting a "discovered" log: to let the trackable owner know that their tb/coin is still in play. If I find a trackable in a cache, but don't take it to move along, I'll post a "discover" log to let the owner (and other cachers that might have the cache and/or the trackable on their watch list) know that the trackable has not disappeared. This is very helpful when the trackable has not been logged properly and is in a different cache than its logging history shows. B. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 The legitimate reason is to log a traveler without assisting it. Get rid of the Discover option and let's see how many cachers log a note "just to let the owner know it's still there". Quote Link to comment
HerahL Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I'll tell you a "legitimate" reason for posting a "discovered" log: to let the trackable owner know that their tb/coin is still in play. But the question was about "discovering" bugs you haven't actually seen (see the thread title)... Specifically bugs that aren't in play (not released yet). Quote Link to comment
+Crow-T-Robot Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 The legitimate reason is to log a traveler without assisting it. Get rid of the Discover option and let's see how many cachers log a note "just to let the owner know it's still there". I've done that...when I've forgotten to write down the tracking number , or when I've checked on my own cache and a bug I had dropped in there previously was still there. Quote Link to comment
Matt_the_Mat Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I dont see the point of this, Geocaching is for the fun of exploration, not to sit in your chair logging millions. Quote Link to comment
Matt_the_Mat Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 The legitimate reason is to log a traveler without assisting it. Get rid of the Discover option and let's see how many cachers log a note "just to let the owner know it's still there". But thats not the question. It's why they do it if it is not even been released or in someones hand Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 The legitimate reason is to log a traveler without assisting it. Get rid of the Discover option and let's see how many cachers log a note "just to let the owner know it's still there". But thats not the question. It's why they do it if it is not even been released or in someones hand Virtual logging doesn't have anything to do with where the traveler is currently located. Quote Link to comment
+T.D.M.22 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Sometime when you go to a website like THIS ONE On the purchase page for a Trackable they show a picture of the trackable, with the number. It may be their own, or a photo they found online. They "did" discover it, and see it just not physically. You just happened to get that trackable, or one with the same number (non intentional but mistakes DO happen)If you contact the place you got it from they might send you a new one if you send it back. Quote Link to comment
+JesandTodd Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 The legitimate reason is to log a traveler without assisting it. Get rid of the Discover option and let's see how many cachers log a note "just to let the owner know it's still there". In fact, that's all I ever do. Ill take travelers, but the ones I leave I just write a note letting the owner know that they are there. I don't usually carry paper to write down the numbers, but I can remember who was in there. Also, I *always* leave a note for the missing bugs. But, back to the OP...why people do this? Because every number listed in our profiles is seen as a score to some people... Quote Link to comment
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