I dropped $200 on a 'gemstone detector' that was just a beeping brick

Ordered this fancy gadget off a shady site last month that claimed to find hidden crystals underground. Took it to the arroyo behind my place and it just beeped at every rock and piece of trash. Turned out it was a repurposed stud finder with a plastic shell. Has anyone else gotten burned by those prospecting scams on Instagram?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_robinson3d ago

Ha! That sucks but honestly I'm not surprised. Those Instagram ads are always promising magic gadgets that don't actually exist. Next time just look for something from a known brand with actual reviews on Amazon or eBay, not some random site with a flashy video. Real metal detectors cost way less and work better for that kind of stuff anyway. Live and learn I guess.

hernandez.morgan3d ago

12 dollars and 80 cents is what I threw away on one of those scam ads last month, some kind of "treasure finder" that was basically a glorified keychain. I used to think people were overreacting about how bad Instagram ads can be, but after getting that piece of junk and then seeing @adam_robinson's post, it finally clicked for me. My buddy bought a cheap metal detector from a pawn shop for like 30 bucks and it actually works for finding coins and stuff at the beach. Those flashy videos really do make you believe you're getting some high tech gadget when it's just plastic and lies. Your mileage may vary but I'm done trusting anything that pops up in my feed with a 'limited time offer' countdown timer.