How to Crack the Hidden 'Cash Man's' Clues
Tips for getting your hands on a money-stuffed envelope.
May 30, 2014 — -- Ever since a mysterious millionaire began hiding envelopes stuffed with cash around major California cities, copycat donors have popped up in Texas, Florida, Colorado and more.
The anonymous man who started it all has more than 300,000 followers on Twitter. That’s a lot of people searching for the same prize. Today, he’s in Los Angeles, but might be heading to New York soon.
Video: San Franciscans See Green in Hidden Cash
If you’re playing along, here’s how to increase your odds:
Be an Expert on Your City
People who know their city inside and out prove to be the most successful in the mystery man’s game.
So if you’re new to town, enlist some friends to help. The anonymous real estate investor behind @HiddenCash often posts photo clues of obscure places around the city, like the view from a random park bench or street corner.
If you recognize the scene, you’re in luck. But be quick, the cash could be found any minute.
Think About Transportation
It’s hard to say where the money will be hidden next, but if there’s one theme we’re seeing, it’s transportation.
The mysterious donor has been known to tape envelopes stuffed with cash to parking meters, bus stops, bike racks – even a bulldozer parked on the beach.
Brush Off Your Riddle-Solving Skills
Some of the Hidden Cash clues are straightforward, but others are trickier to solve.
“Sounds like where a robin or eagle might keep their money,” one clue to Los Angeles read on Thursday.
The answer? Bird Bank. That led clever money-finders to Burbank where the envelope was stashed.
Another early clue: “Usually you pay them. Today, they’ll pay you.”
Sure enough, money was taped to a string of parking meters in San Francisco over the weekend.
A helpful hint: It might be cheating, but if you peek at the Twitter thread that builds after each clue, many users post their ideas about where the money is hidden.
Get Down and Dirty with Nature
When in doubt, head to your closest beach or park. Both are popular drop spots, and nearly all of the cash has been hidden outside.
And be prepared to get your hands dirty. Money has been found several times affixed to public trash cans and taped to trees or bushes.
Cash has also been taped beneath park benches and attached to fire hydrants.