Be careful of scams!

I posted this on another forum, but I think it applies to all forums... We recently had a troll inquiring about several of our members' rings... Let's keep this in mind!

I think it is a good time to remind our members of some of the things that can ruine a good hunting experience. We all love to post our finds and receive the kudos that come along with it on the forum. We love to see the photos of your awesome find and they often provide inspiration for others... They also inspire some others to try to scam you. Folks that beach hunt are well aware of the various Is that my ring? scams that can occur while beach hunting. It can just as easily happen on here too! Granted it has been a while since such an occurence has happened, but it is good to give some of the newer members a head up when posting really good finds. Here's some things to think about when posting...

1. If a ring has an inscription on the inside making it personalized... Don't include the inscription in your photo.

2. If a piece of jewelry is very unique and looks to be made specifically for someone... Don't post it if you feel uneasy about it.

3. Experienced hunters Find Nothing! when asked by onlookers while hunting.

4. Don't be too specific about where you found it.. ex. I found this 2 kt diamond platinum ring about 100 yrds away from Pismo Beach pier on the south side. If you are adamant about returning rings or jewelry...put a lost and found add in your area. You don't want to have to figure out if someone is scamming you on here.

5. If you find something extremely valuable (There's been $20,000 rings found on this forum)... often times it's best to smile and do a happy dance on the inside... Things like that are not necessarily for the public to know about on a forum.

6. DO NOT GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FINDS! If someone sends you a PM asking if your ring has an inscription...NEVER GIVE THEM DETAILS! You don't want someone to get the law involved with any of your finds... Use your best judgement!

Be careful folks... It's that time of the year when the tot lots are being filled and the beaches are full... Find it, Pocket it, and Celebrate when you get home!

Good post Brian thumbsup01

I NEVER show finds to people who come up and ask are you finding anything? Not coins, not jewelry... nothing. It can lead to trouble in several different ways, and it has for me before. I always say no, just some loose change or something along those lines, and show them nothing. I think most detectorists do the same.

Most experienced beach hunters don't post their rings unless they are older finds or not particularly valuable or unique. There are even legal reasons why it might not be a good idea... I remember stories about how a water hunter in CT got in trouble after posting some rings because legally the finds are supposed to be turned over to the police.

:thinkingabout: Good tip!! :yes: thumbsup01
Thats about what I do too. If approached while hunting and asked about what I've found or finding. I always say Just some pennys and dimes :rolleyes:
Your usually just better off :lipssealed: zipin' your lip :yes:

I think from now on I'm going to say Yes I did find some stuff, are you the jerk who threw all of these pull tabs to the ground? :ticked: Then tell him I'm going to call the cops for his littering rofl The truth is, for some reason law inforcement thinks they should return the ring to someone who claims it without and due process. How about asking them intricate details about the ring? I guess it's easier to just say give them their ring :bop: I guess it's time to misfocus the camera a bit lol

Thanks -good advice. I admit I've been pretty relaxed about showing my finds to inquiring people, depending on the feel of the person. But then I've never found a $20,000 ring! Along those lines, it's wild how many people will ask how much my detector cost! It's kind of personal question. :angry: Nope, it's not very expensive'... Never know who's a druggy who'll try to steal it to pawn :shocked01:

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

Good post Brian thumbsup01

I NEVER show finds to people who come up and ask are you finding anything? Not coins, not jewelry... nothing. It can lead to trouble in several different ways, and it has for me before.

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Do you mind sharing some of the other ways? I automatically think of archaelogical preservation sort of issues. How about US Army items? If they were to get particular, these could officially still belong to govt? :thinkingabout: You wouldn't think by the number of dug items selling on EBay...

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Originally Posted by coinnut

I think from now on I'm going to say Yes I did find some stuff, are you the jerk who threw all of these pull tabs to the ground? :ticked:

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rofl rofl rofl Love it!

Beef, very good post and excellent advice. a lot of the rings found in the dirt are too deep to be recent drops, so no worries there about someone running up and claiming it , but surface finds and even beach finds can be subjected to thethats my ring!! scam artists if the detectorist shows it to anyone that could give a description to John Law.
On the other hand, anyone on these boards that happens to find a recent drop or even beach find that has anything inscribed inside the band would more than likely be trying to locate the owner and give it back, or at the least place a local ad in the paper . HH all!

Thank's for the great post. thumbsup01 This seems to be very good advice. :)

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Originally Posted by tanacat

Do you mind sharing some of the other ways? I automatically think of archaelogical preservation sort of issues. How about US Army items? If they were to get particular, these could officially still belong to govt? :thinkingabout: You wouldn't think by the number of dug items selling on EBay...

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I used to be relaxed about it too Tana, but I got burned on it, not too long after I started detecting. And there are others who have similar stories.

The first reason is the obvious one... if you show someone something valuable, you might get robbed. There was someone on another forum who was beaten very badly while detecting, and others who have had their detectors stolen (why you should NEVER answer those questions about how much your detector costs! :shocked04:stretcher: ) Most of this goes double for us, because we are females and I most frequently detect alone and in relatively isolated areas.

The second reason is because eventually you will run into someone who will tell you that whatever old coins or relic you just showed them, found in a public place, is public property (or should be turned over to the local historical society, etc.). This has happened to several people I know of.

A variation of this happened to me once when I was detecting in southwest Iowa on the property of an old farmhouse which was next to a farm there I used to own. I had permission. It was absolutely desolate... no one around, no roads, nothing. I had my Grey Ghosts on and had just dug a target so I was on my knees, when suddenly in my peripheral vision I became aware of someone standing right behind me, like one foot away from me! :shocked04:stretcher: I jumped a mile. Turned around and there was a very mean looking man holding a shotgun pointed more or less directly at me. I have never been so scared! :shocked04: Turns out he was a neighbor down the road who saw me there and was watching out for the property. He had already been watching when I dug the coin so he asked to see it more closely (he had the gun, I wasn't going to refuse!) It was a wheat, no big deal but still he went on this spiel about how such monetary finds are the property of the landowner and not mine to keep, etc. And he was going to call the owner, which he did (it ended up being no problem since I already had permission, but my point is that you just don't know who you will run into).

The third reason has already been mentioned. People can, and will, claim that whatever you found is something that belongs to them, or their relative or friend.

I also got hassled a few weeks ago in a park in a not-so-great area in Lexington by two men.

Most people mean well but I have just learned over time that it's easier and safer to keep to myself and avoid contact and conversation with other people. I try not to be rude but I will more or less walk the other direction without saying much, making it clear I am not interested in talking.

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

Most of this goes double for us, because we are females and I most frequently detect alone and in relatively isolated areas.

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Yes, same here- sometimes it really sucks to be woman :ticked: A good reason for us to get together & hunt with Heather and Kevin in isolated places...

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

someone standing right behind me, like one foot away from me! :shocked04:stretcher: I jumped a mile. Turned around and there was a very mean looking man holding a shotgun pointed more or less directly at me. I have never been so scared! :shocked04:

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The same thing happened to me once when arrowhead hunting in BFE- I did have permission, but a neighbor flew up in his pickup with shotgun pointing at me. Scenes of Deliverence flashed before my eyes, but he quickly left. Yes very scary.

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

I also got hassled a few weeks ago in a park in a not-so-great area in Lexington by two men.

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Sorry to hear that, I wonder if it's the same place I got harassed a few weeks ago. I'll PM you about it

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

Most people mean well but I have just learned over time that it's easier and safer to keep to myself and avoid contact and conversation with other people. I try not to be rude but I will more or less walk the other direction without saying much, making it clear I am not interested in talking.

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Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me :yes: I must say that being the friendly person I am-- having headphones on makes it much easier to ignore people lol when I can really hear them :rolleyes:

I remember the beating Angie... Blindsided him too I believe. :blackeye: I guess I'm greedy or something...BUT, I didn't get into this hobby to return stuff I find... Alot of us have a lot of money invested in our machines...Heck, I've got about $2500 in my collection.. If it is a class ring perhaps, but if someone is dumb enough to wear a $1600 ring to the beach and butter themselves up to go into the water...I'm not losing any sleep over finding their ring and definately not going on a manhunt to find the owner. I look back at how stupid I was when I found my first ring at the beach (The big spinner ring). I was just asking someone to come and scam me... Thankfully it didn't happen, but I was a sitting duck for a scam. I hunt with a guy (same one in the vid with the morgan) and he had permission to hunt this old farm house. He had just began in the hobby and found a capped bust half... The owner lady came over and asked what he found and he showed her the awesome coin... In congratulations, he got a You've got to leave! Now! and she kept the coin... Depending on the owner of the property, I don't show them everything I find, unless it is someone I know. I don't know, I suppose it is unethical, but I always like to keep my coins. If an owner wants to keep the coins I find...I move on. Let them spend the money on a detector and find them theirselves... I guess, when I was first getting started I might have been willing to give them my finds, just to get onto a site, but unless it's a super valuable hunk of gold or something...It's mine. Am I the only one that feels this way?

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Originally Posted by Beefcake

I remember the beating Angie... Blindsided him too I believe. :blackeye: I guess I'm greedy or something...BUT, I didn't get into this hobby to return stuff I find... Alot of us have a lot of money invested in our machines...Heck, I've got about $2500 in my collection.. If it is a class ring perhaps, but if someone is dumb enough to wear a $1600 ring to the beach and butter themselves up to go into the water...I'm not losing any sleep over finding their ring and definately not going on a manhunt to find the owner. I look back at how stupid I was when I found my first ring at the beach (The big spinner ring). I was just asking someone to come and scam me... Thankfully it didn't happen, but I was a sitting duck for a scam. I hunt with a guy (same one in the vid with the morgan) and he had permission to hunt this old farm house. He had just began in the hobby and found a capped bust half... The owner lady came over and asked what he found and he showed her the awesome coin... In congratulations, he got a You've got to leave! Now! and she kept the coin... Depending on the owner of the property, I don't show them everything I find, unless it is someone I know. I don't know, I suppose it is unethical, but I always like to keep my coins. If an owner wants to keep the coins I find...I move on. Let them spend the money on a detector and find them theirselves... I guess, when I was first getting started I might have been willing to give them my finds, just to get onto a site, but unless it's a super valuable hunk of gold or something...It's mine. Am I the only one that feels this way?

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I feel the same way. Hey everyone! Been a while but I still check in from time to time...
The place I am hunting now, I started off showing the owner the least of my finds. (wheats) and he wasn't interested.
Then I showed him a silver merc just to see his reaction and he ask me what its worth. I told him about 2 bucks and he put it back in my hand. Said he wasn't interested unless it was in the hundreds. That told me that small coins was ok to show but not rings. He just bought this property so I know he hasnt lost anything there. I think you all know about me getting attacked in a park by 4 or 5 young guys (gang members) about a month ago. Thank God I carry a bayonet for a digger! :boxing: I was in a park in Lexington when 4 black guys with gold teeth and loud rap music coming from their car kept going by and they stopped to specifically ask me what my detector cost because they wanted to get one and start detecting. (yeah right) I just told them that mine was a cheap 50 dollar one but they could get one that could cost up to 5000. I was at my truck and just got in and left with my detector inside the cab. ( Kevin knows the name of the park and I advise you lady's not to go there!)

I post my finds but never post anything of real value..That is just between friends. :beerbuddy:

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Originally Posted by magic

( Kevin knows the name of the park and I advise you lady's not to go there!)

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Okay, either you or Kevin please PM me the name of that park :shocked04: I wonder if it was the same one I ran into problems at.

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Originally Posted by Epi-hunter

Okay, either you or Kevin please PM me the name of that park :shocked04: I wonder if it was the same one I ran into problems at.

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Yeah me too.

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Originally Posted by Beefcake

I guess, when I was first getting started I might have been willing to give them my finds, just to get onto a site, but unless it's a super valuable hunk of gold or something...It's mine. Am I the only one that feels this way?

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Oh no I prefer it to be MINE ALL MINE!!! lol but I had a situation recently where owner wants to keep relics. My explanation is kinda lengthy & don't want to hijack your thread, so I started a thread asking advice :)

I guess it's the times , there's just too many Thugs , busybodies , pervs ,freaks ,broken bottles , dog turds , unwatched little brats and I'm going to call the cop type snitches for me to deal with at parks so I don't even hunt them anymore . I am currently ( when I get the rare chance to hunt ) hitting a few vacant lots , the very neglected , gopher infested sport fields of several schools an occasional neighbors property , the rare scraped city sidewalks and any dirt piles I may run into an occasional empty tot lot very early in the morning and beaches.
I used to share spots I would find with a friend but the generosity became a bit one sided ( if you know what I mean).
I don't share my spots anymore and I don't go looking for things with the sole purpose of returning them either . I have returned things but only when I truly knew who lost them ( Gold rings twice)and a cell phone once . I don't find very much real good stuff anymore but in the past I have found a couple of UNBELIEVABLE finds I will NEVER post . It's gotten really hard to find productive sites that don't have some kind of problems that go with them but when I do it makes it very sweet . Yeah , I'm a cranky , cynical old man and I really go ballistic when I hear about detectorists being unjustly hassled ( I think detectorists should have the right to carry a firearm :grin: )
It's getting scary out there , glad you came out ok with that gang attack Magic . Did the Police ever
get involved in that ?
LADIES , please be especially careful !!!!!

Baba

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Originally Posted by Sheik Yerbooty

Yeah , I'm a cranky , cynical old man and I really go ballistic when I hear about detectorists being unjustly hassled ( I think detectorists should have the right to carry a firearm :grin: )
It's getting scary out there , glad you came out ok with that gang attack Magic . Did the Police ever
get involved in that ?
LADIES , please be especially careful !!!!!

Baba

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I enjoyed your post- thanks for thinking of us ladies :yes:

Sorry to hear that Magic, I'm glad you're okay! Our city (where it happened) does have a pretty low crime rate but gosh durnit :ticked: it's these downtown areas where we want to hunt in peace!

Esp because it's more potentially lucrative/desirable BECAUSE people are hesitant (smart enough not to) hunt in these areas :confused: Am I rambling?

Here's how I feel about ownership. It may not be right, but it's what I think lol If you gave me permission to hunt, it's mine. If it get into the thousands in value, we split it. I don't want to fight a property owner over a Mercury Dime or Wheat penny. I will return any item I can POSITIVELY identify. If we have to guess, I guess it's mine :grin: These items are rotting in the ground and no one cares but us. We spend thousands (tens of thousands if you add the years up) on our equipment, cleaning and storing supplies, accessories, etc. Not to mention countless hours on forums lol and reading books on history. Tack on the visits to the library and talking with old people :confused: and you will find we have a lot invested in our hobby. We earn them relics. But if someone asks me to help them find things on there property for them to keep, and an come to some agreement prior to it, I will do it for them. Legally, if someone gives you permission to hunt and you find something they want to take back, you could call the cops on them and go to court over rights. They would probably win the item, but would most likely have to compensate you for your time or the value of the item. Obviously you wouldn't do that, but ownership may not completely be theirs after it comes out of the ground, if permission was given. Best to keep quiet about what you find unless you are sure the people don't care. Most people would just ruin the item cleaning it up anyways. Think about deer hunting and compare it to detecting. If you give me permission to deer hunt and I get a deer, is it your deer now? No, its' mine :bop: because you gave me permission :yes: That's what permission means. ;) So the moral of the story is? Don't let me detect your house cause I keep what I find :happydance01:

Good points George. If I find something worth thousands I'll split it with you lol now that's a good incentive for those hesitant owners... I might use that one :eyebrow: