Ahoy — here’s the lay of the land
How LootSkip works
Real treasure, really hidden, near you. A skipper hides a token and posts the hunt; you read the clues, find the spot, and claim the loot. It’s free to play.
The loop: Find → Solve → Claim
- 1.Find
Open the map and pick a hunt near you. A gold pin marks a search zone — the loot is hidden somewhere inside it, never plotted on an exact X.
- 2.Solve
Read the skipper's clue cards and close in. Skip can play warmer / colder as you near the spot — bands only, never a pinpoint. The clues guide you; they never unlock the loot.
- 3.Claim
At the spot, find the hidden token and enter its claim code (or scan its QR) right where it sits. Being nearby is never enough — you claim from inside the geofence. First to claim wins.
Claiming, the honest way
Every token carries a short claim code, written right on it. You claim by entering that code (or scanning its QR) from inside the hunt’s geofence — standing on the spot. Typing the code is the default; scanning is the same secret carried by a camera.
Being near the loot is never enough — proximity alone never wins. The clue cards (and any solve-to-unlock gate) only guide you to the spot; they never unlock the loot. We read your location only when you claim (or use warmer / colder) — never in the background. Claim checks are kept in a private security log to stop cheating; your location is never shown to anyone, never sold, and never used for ads.
Safe by design
Hunts live on safe, public, legal ground — city blocks, not cliff edges. No wilderness, water, climbing, digging, or trespass. Hunt in daylight, watch your surroundings, and kids hunt with an adult. If a spot feels wrong, turn back and report it.
LootSkip is the platform, never the organizer. A skipper creates, places, and is responsible for their hunt; we host the listing. Read the Safety and Terms pages before you play.
Frequently asked
Is LootSkip free to play?+
Yes. Hunting is always free — open the map and play. Every hunt hides a real prize, and chasing it costs nothing. You never pay to join a hunt.
Is it safe?+
Safety comes first. Hunts are restricted to safe, public, legal spots — city blocks, not cliff edges. No wilderness, water, climbing, digging, or private property without permission. Hunt in daylight, mind your surroundings, and kids hunt with an adult. No treasure is worth your safety — if a spot feels wrong, turn back and report it.
What are Coins?+
Coins — points earned from real finds. Not money, never redeemable. They show up on your My Loot and the Loot Log as bragging rights for the hunts you have claimed.
Can I host a hunt?+
Anyone can. Build your hunt from clue cards, pick a reward, then place the token and get your claim code at the hiding spot. As a skipper you are the organizer of your hunt — you choose a safe, public, legal spot and place the token. LootSkip hosts your listing; it never runs the hunt.
Are there cash prizes?+
Yes. When a skipper funds one, the full amount is charged up front and held by LootSkip, earmarked to that hunt, until it is looted or expires. The winner is paid the full advertised prize through our payments partner, which handles identity and tax checks; unfound by the deadline, every cent goes back to the skipper. Every hunt, cash or item, hides a real prize.
What does LootSkip charge?+
Hunting and claiming are free, always. Skippers keep 90% of clue sales and 100% of tips. Cash-prize hunts fund the prize plus an escrow fee of 10% with a two-dollar minimum, and the winner always nets the full advertised prize. Every sale keeps the rate it settled at.
Can minors play?+
LootSkip is family-friendly. Accounts are for ages 13+ with a guardian’s consent, and younger hunters take part only alongside a guardian’s account as a family crew. Claiming or being paid a cash prize is 18+ only, because our payment processor requires it.
The lingo
Skippers, Crews, Coins, Legends — the whole vocabulary lives in the Skipper’s Dictionary. Full dictionary in Help →