Staged treasure hunting on rise, targets cultural sites

Emre Eser - ISTANBUL

Fraudsters have recently targeted individuals on social media, luring them into purchasing utterly useless “treasure hunting equipment,” with the premise of finding fictitious riches through a series of staged videos.

In response to every video encompassing this burgeoning trend of deception, the Culture and Tourism Ministry files legal complaints to thwart illicit excavations.

Within these videos, in an attempt to remain incognito, a group of masked individuals employ detectors and similar apparatus to conduct unauthorized excavations in a designated area. Following their clandestine dig, they unearth what appears to be an antique pottery or an artifact resembling antiquity. Upon shattering this pottery, euphoric shouts accompany the revelation of a fabricated treasure composed of counterfeit gold and coins, all meticulously corroded with various chemicals beforehand.

Social media accounts boasting hundreds of thousands of followers ensnare their viewers with sophisticated narratives, marketing imitation products as if they have stumbled upon a genuine treasure.

These video creators, often under aliases like "Treasure Workshop" or "Treasure Signatures," offer guide packages on supposed expertise for treasure hunting and peddle the discovery devices featured in their videos.

The swindlers explicitly mention that the fees for these services, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, will not be refunded if the illicit excavation yields no results, leaving their victims ensnared in a trap.

These victims, on one hand, become casualties of fruitless treasure hunts and the inability to reclaim their funds, and, on the other hand, inadvertently commit a crime by engaging in unauthorized excavations.

On YouTube alone, there exist over 6,500 channels and more than 21,000 videos under the keyword "treasure hunting." One of these accounts has amassed 270 million views through 243 treasure hunting videos.

"The aim of these videos is to manipulate their viewers, enticing them to make substantial payments for various services. In a sense, you become 'their treasure.' Throughout this process, they continuously request money from you under various pretexts," stated Zeynep Boz, the head of the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s anti-artifact trafficking unit.

"Through this fraudulent scheme, all cultural assets are potentially exposed to criminal activities. Despite being illegal, unauthorized excavations persist. Cultural treasures are damaged through excavation and even dynamite explosions, with unfortunate casualties. Furthermore, the narrative remains consistent – they all return empty-handed. Consequently, a significant crime is committed," Boz emphasized.

Boz further noted that the ministry has initiated legal actions against all treasure hunting content videos and their creators who have come under scrutiny. Simultaneously, they are conducting educational campaigns in numerous regions to raise awareness about illicit excavations.