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Post by bakerstreet on May 6, 2020 12:41:53 GMT -5
Hello all, I'm new to the forum. Thank you for having me. As a searcher I was disheartened to see the posts on ForrestFennTreasure.com and would like to know your thoughts. I saw the discussion a while back about it and due to the newest post on that site made yesterday I thought I would resurrect the conversation. It could be and I hope it is a scam, con of some sort and of course I hope it fails and no one gets taken advantage of but is it just possible that it's real? A bit bizarre in the way they're going about it but real none the less. The Whois search on the domain name says that it was created in February of this year but its suspicious. I remembered looking at a site with this domain over the last few years on occasion. So I loaded the domain into the WayBackMachine to see if I was correct about there being a history with the site. Sure enough it's there. It was a searcher who started a site in my opinion to gather information from others but not really reveal anything as far as their real thoughts regarding what the solve is. There was one email associated with the site. It was phil@forrestfenntreasure.com. This Phil had a few postings on Reddit (archived on Reddit so you can search it) soliciting more information on the Chase. So I'm wondering... Did Phil let the domain expire only to create it anew once he found the chest to begin this bizarre path to liquidate it? Or did Phil leave off the Chase and allow the domain to expire and lost it to a new searcher or con artist? I seriously doubt that. A lot doesn't make sense. The former site was a decent Wordpress site with much more complication than the current Landing Page site. The claim to not know how to "make a website" would appear to be bogus assuming it's the same person - let's call him Phil. But the way they speak is very different from the old site to the current posts. I really hope the Chest hasn't been found but I have to say I'm not entirely certain that Phil didn't find it and just happens to be a bit of an odd duck. Is there anyone on this forum that ever corresponded with phil@forrestfenntreasure.com before? And if so could you shed some light on this? Thanks in advance for the engaging chat...
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Post by voxpops on May 6, 2020 13:04:48 GMT -5
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaff_(countermeasure)I've spent a bit of time thinking about this site, and had one communication with the operator. I now believe that there are aspects of it that are genuine, and parts that are designed to deflect. My honest opinion is that although the chest has not yet been retrieved, we are entering the final stages of the chase, and work is ongoing behind the scenes. Things may be clearer in the not-too-distant future (virus permitting). All of the above is opinion and should not be confused with fact!
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Post by heidini on May 6, 2020 13:44:38 GMT -5
Hello all, I'm new to the forum. Thank you for having me. As a searcher I was disheartened to see the posts on ForrestFennTreasure.com and would like to know your thoughts. I saw the discussion a while back about it and due to the newest post on that site made yesterday I thought I would resurrect the conversation. It could be and I hope it is a scam, con of some sort and of course I hope it fails and no one gets taken advantage of but is it just possible that it's real? A bit bizarre in the way they're going about it but real none the less. The Whois search on the domain name says that it was created in February of this year but its suspicious. I remembered looking at a site with this domain over the last few years on occasion. So I loaded the domain into the WayBackMachine to see if I was correct about there being a history with the site. Sure enough it's there. It was a searcher who started a site in my opinion to gather information from others but not really reveal anything as far as their real thoughts regarding what the solve is. There was one email associated with the site. It was phil@forrestfenntreasure.com. This Phil had a few postings on Reddit (archived on Reddit so you can search it) soliciting more information on the Chase. So I'm wondering... Did Phil let the domain expire only to create it anew once he found the chest to begin this bizarre path to liquidate it? Or did Phil leave off the Chase and allow the domain to expire and lost it to a new searcher or con artist? I seriously doubt that. A lot doesn't make sense. The former site was a decent Wordpress site with much more complication than the current Landing Page site. The claim to not know how to "make a website" would appear to be bogus assuming it's the same person - let's call him Phil. But the way they speak is very different from the old site to the current posts. I really hope the Chest hasn't been found but I have to say I'm not entirely certain that Phil didn't find it and just happens to be a bit of an odd duck. Is there anyone on this forum that ever corresponded with phil@forrestfenntreasure.com before? And if so could you shed some light on this? Thanks in advance for the engaging chat... welcome! Hope you can have fun here. Other than dalneitzel.com/ and occasionally a Facebook thing, we really don’t discuss much about other fenn sites here. Forrest has said repeatedly that he will let the community know it is found in a public way. Since that has not happened, I would say the chest has not been found. |
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Post by bakerstreet on May 6, 2020 14:00:26 GMT -5
heidini, please forgive my misstep. In regards to your statement that Mr. Fenn would let the community know... I'm in complete agreement. I have no doubt that he will indeed let the community know once he has no doubt that it has been found. If the yarn that has been woven on that other site is to be believed then Mr. Fenn would not know that it's been found yet. If the finder never reaches out to Mr. Fenn with proof either of the correct solve but no treasure there or proof of the actual chest itself then Mr. Fenn would not be able to let the community know. I really don't think he's ever going to tell anyone else the location for them to check on it and at this point in the Chase I don't think he will ever secret away on his own reconnaissance mission to verify if it's still there or not. Therefore it's possible that it could already be found or will be found without Mr. Fenn's knowledge. This of course would be an absolute shame! But it is possible...
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vibeup
Junior Member
Hindsight is 2020
Posts: 60 
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Post by vibeup on May 6, 2020 14:21:53 GMT -5
Smells like a scam to me. I suspect the website creator wrote a compelling solve and is trying to lay claim to the entire general search area by telling everyone they moved the chest to a nearby, undisclosed spot. Here's how the scam works:
Write a solve for a popular search area; let's say Yankee Jim Canyon. Then file your complete solve with a sleazy attorney while publicly claiming you found and moved the chest to a nearby spot. After selling the solution to an easily-duped millionaire, you give up the solve but don't share the exact "new" location ("to make it more fun"). If any "real" searcher later finds the chest in Yankee Jim Canyon, you sue them for stealing your property by producing paperwork filed earlier from your attorney claiming that you (the scammer) is the "real" owner of the chest.
If "Phil" is really crooked, he's probably filed dozens of solves for all the popular search areas so that no matter who actually finds the chest, he can lay claim to it and then use the millionaire-buyers money to keep an endless round of lawsuits going. The goal is to get the ownership locked up in legal battles for years. This also explains why the supposed finder refuses to even name their state. They don't want to eliminate ANY of the search area in order to keep the scam alive.
BTW, "if and when" I find the chest, I will go public after 30 days with my real name and photos/videos. I will have no assets except the chest. Let's fight scammers!
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Post by brianu on May 6, 2020 15:45:34 GMT -5
I think dejoka is correct. I don't think it's possible to find chase within Forrest knowing, and I think he's alive and well and busy with life and the chase. I'm not suprised with anything I read though, it sounds like there's something going on in four states with innernet and laws and courts and news and everything else. I'm very intigued and more learned everyday, Espeon since I didn't start looking til like a year ago. Hopefully this is the year I find it. If not I at least hope there's a super great ending and possible conclusion to the the chase. Lastly what if it was a realscam, is that such a thing,? Kinda like chaffe, or flares, or decoys?
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Post by goldilocks on May 6, 2020 15:49:58 GMT -5
Nobody can say for sure so disregard and keep doing what you're doing.
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Post by bakerstreet on May 6, 2020 17:14:07 GMT -5
Thank you goldilocks & dejoka for your thoughts. I too am in complete agreement with the two of you. All searchers should continue on without any pause. After all, part of the hustle could be to simply stall a searcher that has correctly come to the correct solve over the winter and is just waiting to go to the prize. Until there is definitive proof that it's been found or Mr. Fenn himself tells us so then the search should march on. I only began this thread to hear from others there analysis of this potential fraudster. As searchers we all have the propensity to solve puzzles and figure things out. I have been hoping that they are not legitimate but at the same time trying to figure out their motive. If the motive becomes clear then the doubt on their claims becomes clear. If there motive isn't clear then it becomes challenging to dismiss it out right. For example if the winning bidder/buyer chooses the escrow company then it would be nearly impossible for there to be fraud unless of course the bad guy here has put together an elaborate copy of chest and contents that would fool someone long enough for a transfer of funds to take place. Maybe they just want a look at banking information from the prospective buyers for some devious plot. What really bothers me though is that if pure profit was what they want and if they really have the chest then they could have a very public, very successful auction and maintain their anonymity. Except that if it were to be an auction performed by an entity like Sotheby's Auction House then a proper appraisal would probably have to take place. Maybe if they really found it they had it appraised and came to the conclusion that the value is well below $2 million and therefore are attempting to maximize their profit that they know to be greater than the actual value. That could be accomplished via this odd method they are going about. Okay, I'm rambling now.... Sorry. Any thoughts?
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Post by ironwill on May 6, 2020 23:13:59 GMT -5
We are entering the final stages of the Chase, but this website... ForrestFennTreasure.com ...has no relevance to that. It is a phishing scheme designed to make a fast "buck" off of Forrest's creation.
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Post by foolsgold on Jun 8, 2020 19:43:23 GMT -5
While it reeks of scam, the timeline on the website is sure interesting in light of current developments.
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Post by goldhunter on Jun 12, 2020 14:55:38 GMT -5
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Post by woollybugger on Jun 12, 2020 21:16:07 GMT -5
“ Michael, regarding your interest in the website: I’m not sure what to tell you. You certainly can make an offer but I am actually not sure who should own or use it in the future. I guess we can handle it the same way as the treasure chest. We had a five figure offer a few weeks ago from a gentlemen who didn’t believe us but has said it would be of high value to him if the treasure was found. Not sure if he will still be interested if the owner decides to stay anonymous with no story to tell or at least not the missing part of the story.”
Ever buy anything on Craigslist? “Well I’ve already been offered 10% more than my asking....” these guys are full of it, not that it really matters anymore...
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Post by foolsgold on Jun 12, 2020 21:25:25 GMT -5
So the 2 mil plus scammers are now happy to scam the site name for 10k plus?
Plausible I guess
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Post by goldhunter on Jun 19, 2020 21:05:16 GMT -5
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Post by nkown on Jun 19, 2020 21:44:56 GMT -5
so -- just a tad bit of digging will let you see that they've left some wordpress directories unprotected (amateur move). forrestfenntreasure.com/wp-content/uploads/ which also will show you that they initially set up the site in 2018 despite the comments on the site. A little further digging will reveal the login names and email addresses of the site creators which are all of Indian origin... not sure if in US or overseas. Googling those names shows dozens of similarly configured wordpress sites which suggests that they are merely site builders for a client. Emails went unreturned. That said -- the 'canopy of stars' being the US Flag aligns with my beliefs about the hiding site. But this site is older than claimed.... not disqualifying, but not perfect either. |
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