Saturday, 20 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
World

Tweeter sparks chaos, copycat in hunt for cash

2 Jun, 2014 05:00 PM2 minutes to read
@HiddenCash began the hunt in San Francisco a little over a week ago. Photo / AP

@HiddenCash began the hunt in San Francisco a little over a week ago. Photo / AP

Independent
By Tim Walker

The sun was out as usual in southern California this weekend but, even so, one particular stretch of Hermosa Beach in south Los Angeles was unusually busy.

Most of the beachgoers weren't surfers or sunbathers, however, but treasure-hunters on the trail of free money, left by the anonymous benefactor behind the Twitter feed @HiddenCash.

The mysterious tweeter, whose generosity has led to chaotic scenes up and down California, announced on Sunday that he had stuffed cash into 36 plastic models of red Angry Birds and buried them ankle-deep in the sand at Hermosa Beach.

One person who had dashed to the scene in search of a stash described the scene as "pandemonium", with several news helicopters hovering overhead to film the frenzied hunt.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

A similar sight greeted visitors to the Empire shopping centre in Burbank on Saturday, after @HiddenCash secreted three envelopes filled with dollar bills in the area. One man found US$135 outside a restaurant, another got US$200 from a rubbish bin, and a 14-year-old girl walked away with US$210 pulled from a flower bed.

@HiddenCash began the hunt in San Francisco a little over a week ago, hiding envelopes across the Bay Area before he headed south to Los Angeles.

On Saturday he hinted that the latest location "sounds like where a robin or eagle might keep their money". A bird-bank? Yes, almost: Burbank. After the cash is found, he retweets photographs of the lucky recipients to his followers, of which he now has at least 410,000.

The furtive philanthropist says he's made millions of dollars and yet "many friends of mine, and people who work for me, cannot afford to buy a modest home. This is my way of giving back."

@HiddenCash has already spawned a copycat. In the UK, @HiddenCash_UK has left envelopes filled with 50 or more in Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Brighton and London.

- Independent

Related articles

New Zealand

10 tips for keeping safe

26 May 04:00 AM
Lifestyle

Being neighbourly

30 May 05:00 PM
New Zealand|Crime

Vigilantes name wrong people

30 May 05:00 PM
Business

Fraudsters posing as Facebook friends

02 Jun 05:00 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

WorldUpdated

British tourist killed in storm clung to kayak for hours

20 Aug 12:00 AM
World

China jails billionaire for 13 years

20 Aug 12:00 AM
WorldUpdated

Controversial influencer instantly loses 5 million followers

20 Aug 12:00 AM
WorldUpdated

English man jailed for biting dog

20 Aug 12:00 AM
WorldUpdated

'I have no regrets': Mum cuts of boyfriend's penis after attack on daughter

19 Aug 11:28 PM

Most Popular

Firefighters save man trapped on car roof in raging torrent
New Zealand

Firefighters save man trapped on car roof in raging torrent

19 Aug 09:35 PM
Live: 'Unbelievable' wild weather - more homes evacuated overnight
New Zealand

Live: 'Unbelievable' wild weather - more homes evacuated overnight

19 Aug 07:25 PM
Wiggles in NZ: Wiggles star reveals life changing hospital encounter
Entertainment

Wiggles in NZ: Wiggles star reveals life changing hospital encounter

19 Aug 06:03 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP