Treasure Scam

Beware the Philippines 'Treasure Industry'

A large and profitable 'treasure industry' exists in many areas of the Philippines, these scams range from the selling of bogus 'Treasure Maps' to gullible tourists, to elaborate confidence tricks, 'long cons', that can relieve would be investors of large sums of money.

Another scam relates to 'treasure symbols'. The soldiers who concealed Yamashita's treasure supposedly marked trees and rocks with symbols, directions or indicators to a hoard's location, so that they could recover the treasure at a later date. Be very skeptical of anyone claiming to be able to interpret these 'treasure symbols', or anyone selling information about them.

American tourists and business people visiting the Philippines seem to be the primary target of the scammers.

Be very wary of anyone approaching you with offers of an 'investment opportunity' in treasure hunting operations anywhere in the world, but be doubly careful when it relates to the Philippines, if it sounds to good to be true, then it almost certainly is.