How Did These Guys Pull Off a Viral Buried Treasure Hoax in Calif?
- Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:01pm by
Liz Klimas
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On any given day at the beach, you’re bound to see treasure hunters casing the sand with metal detectors, but they often come up empty handed. Over Memorial Day weekend, those on Venice Beach in California were elated when they watched a group of men dig up what appeared to be buried treasure.
Turns out the chest full of gold coins wasn’t worth much — unless you’re a chocolate lover. If that’s the case, you’re in luck as it was full of about $100 worth of chocolate.
The video detailing the events has gone viral since its posting on Tuesday. It shows a group of men explaining how they plan to bury the chest in the sand at 2 a.m. and return to the beach at noon to pretend they had stumbled upon the find of a lifetime.
(Related: How much is all the world’s sunken treasure worth?)
In the video the men let others in on their secret as they’re traveling with the chest on the top of their car to Venice Beach. Unfortunately, many along their route thought the trunk looked more like something from Harry Potter and not what you would expect of a treasure chest, but it didn’t seem to make a difference when it was being dug out of the sand.
Trunk used to bury the "treasure." (Image: YouTube screenshot)
Near the shore you can see someone using a metal detector. (Image: YouTube screenshot)
Beginning to dig up the chest, shouting across the beach about what they think they've found to draw attention. (Image: YouTube screenshot)
They even let a little boy help dig. (Image: YouTube screenshot)
The crowd got so excited when the top was freed from the sand that they began chanting “Open it!” At one point, someone who appears to be an authority — or at least speaks in an authoritative voice and has a walkie-talkie — asks “Did you guys find this? You didn’t plant this here?” Soon after, they completely flip open the lid and the crowd goes wild. In the video’s description, it states among those tricked was Dave Levine from Bravo’s ”Millionaire Matchmaker.”
Just part of the crowd gathered around the hole. (Image: YouTube screenshot)
Fully opening the chest to the glee of spectators. (Image: YouTube screenshot)
Watch the men hatch their plan and see the reactions of beachgoers for yourself (Warning: Some strong language). Skip to 1:33 to see them burying the chest and 2:12 to see them in action the next day digging it up:
At about 5:11, someone yells “It’s chocolate!” It’s hard to tell if the crowd is truly upset over this revelation, but at least they begin passing out the sweets to placate the spectators.
CBS affiliate in Los Angeles reports the team of four men conducting this prank are aspiring actors from Utah. So far they’re beginning to reach Internet stardom as their video has reached nearly a half a million view on YouTube and has been reposted several times.
The YouTube description thanks those who fell for this prank and “made this video worth more than gold.”
[H/T Buzzfeed]
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jacovito
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 3:23pmI’ll bet P.T. Barnum is grinning in his grave.
Report Post »jacovito
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 3:09pmGood stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 2:59pmThat was cool, very POSITIVE and fun prank…. that’s the right way to have fun, nice going!!!!
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 2:12pmPeople are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo gullible! Think… how many years have people been using metal detectors on this beach.. you think they would have missed that? Duh……..
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:39pmSpain immediately laid claim to the chocolate and the State department ordered it to be shipped there without delay.
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:37pmAnyone see ManBearPig lurking around?
Report Post »DennisNJ
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:28pmI did the same thing with Cub Scouts and they bought it hook, line, and sinker!
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:28pmHmmm….How did they pull off a hoax in California?
Report Post »The same question should be asked of nancy “i’m an idiot” pelosi…..
capitalismrocks
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 3:00pm“You have to, ummm… open the uh chest, to umm see what’s inside tee hee hee…“ Nancy ”MORON” Pelosi
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:15pmFancy Nancy “the Queen of Botox” Pelosi wants it taken away until taxes are collected (Federal, State, and Local) and the wealth is distributed.
OMG 2012
Report Post »Patrick Henry II
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:28pm2 of my brothers and I used to play this trick on our little sister. More than once. She reminds us how rotten pranksters we were to this day. It was fun though. Finding a treasure map was a good prop to throw in there that we used.
Report Post »Lemacs
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:06pmLOL, good times
Report Post »forthepeople
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:57pmNotice the ‘ authority wanna be ’ ? with the radio in less than an hour trying to shut them down ? amazing mentality in society today, some would call it a dangerous slippery slope !
Report Post »People get ready , thats our future …….
lukerw
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:07pmUnless… it is stopped!
Report Post »nobody-aka-nobo
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:51pmI like the Beach Lifeguard coming and acting like she has authority to have people move out of a hole for their ‘safety’…The icecream vendor has about the same amount of authority to require people to leave.
BTW PigPen, there are plenty of other sites providing conspiracy stuff about Nibiru, aliens, Bilderberg, etc. The Blaze is just 1 of many sites. Try Freedomslighthouse.net, WND, beforeitsnews, econoniccollapse.net and others to get some other data. I don’t think The Blaze is STRICTLY for government crap, it highlights all the stuff that might be interesting. If you don’t want to read a particular post, you have the FREEDOM to choose. Jeez
Report Post »AmazingGrace8
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:49pmProbably liberals & we all know they don’t have a sense of humor (just kidding) but it would have been a hoot if the announcement was, “California is out of the red. We found the missing 16 Billion”!!! Actually this was a fun “dig” and these guys created their own “shovel-ready-job”!!!
Report Post »slvrserfr
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:46pmI wonder how many ice packs they had to place underneath to keep the chocolate cool.
Report Post »Treaty
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:43pmHilarious
Report Post »tweetybird
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:35pmPeople with too much time on their hands.
Report Post »ComradeAdam
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:31pmVery cool prank, nice work guys. I did notice quite a few people trying to steal gold though. Shameful on their part.
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:21pmUh, let’s see what the hard-hitting “news” at theBlaze is recently: Buried Treasure in California, Weather Map of Tornadoes, First Lady on John Stewart, and some “privileged minority” professor called white Christians “schmucks”.
Do ANY of you at theBlaze realize that the Bilderberger Meeting is taking place? What is it? Don‘t know or don’t care? Or is it that you leftie, commie, pinko, “privileged minority” newsmen -er, uh, “newspeople” have finally infiltrated the Glenn Beck outfit?
Report Post »smcdaniel
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:30pmDo you know the difference between a Blog and a news site? I guess not.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:38pm@Piggy-You need a bigger attention span. There are other sections on the “Right” side that have what you claim is missing.
Report Post »D-Fence
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:16pmYou’re a dope, or is that what you’re smoking?
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 1:21pmHey, SMCDANIEL, let’s review your argument. 1. this story wasn’t under The Blog section, it was (and is still) posted on the main story stream. 2. TheBlaze is NOT intended to be a “blog”, at least not by its founder Glenn Beck’s original intentions: “breaking news, original reporting, insightful opinions and engaging videos about the stories that matter most”.
So for you, SMCDaniel, I repeat my question of why is THIS nonsense hoax considered to be “breaking news… that matter most” when the Bilderberger Meeting is going on? The Blaze hasn’t even come close to mentioning it. Sorry to come down on you, my friend, but you tried to make ME look stupid first. Karma is beeeyotch, ain’t it?
And as for you, BIKERR, no, there isn’t anything on theBlaze these days more insightful or “right” as you put it than I would find in a run of the mill tabloid. And stop with the ad hominem attacks please. If you don’t like my opinions, try making an ARGUMENT, instead of just calling out “piggy” or cast suspicions on my intelligence, etc. etc. etc.
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:21pmChocolate? Noon? California? Sounds messy to me.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:21pmSomeone had a good laugh. I think it is funny. Still I wonder how much chocolat Govener Brown is going to tax them? Oh yes and Obama. Arrgg maties
Report Post »lfoa
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 12:14pmGood clean harmless summer FUN…..
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