San Francisco Takes Part in Mysterious Treasure Hunt for Cash

There’s a hidden cash frenzy going on, and it’s happening in San Francisco thanks to Twitter posts from a mysterious benefactor. The Twitter account @HiddenCash leaves clues several times a week as to where followers can find envelopes filled with cash throughout the city.

The mysterious donor was all around the city this past Tuesday, and as soon as a tweet would go out, dozens of people would begin to arrive by foot, car and bike. Already, @HiddenCash has 80,000 followers after several nights. “He grew 30k overnight,” recounts Ari Alexander, a social media app creator.

Many social media gurus have been eyeing the account with envy — for the price of several hundred dollars, a small drop for many corporate marketing campaigns, one individual has managed to create a hot topic story and handle that’s buzzing from coast to coast. More cynical envelope hunters have wondered whether the creator of the account plans to eventually sell it, even though the user’s profile says that it is “an anonymous social experiment for good.”

The account also encourages winners to pay it forward, and so far, it seems like this part of the challenge is coming together. Adam Wenger, 27, found two envelopes on Friday with a total of $200 inside. He paid it forward by buying pizza for his co-workers.

“This is definitely the type of positive buzz that companies should try to create,” says Steven Smith, CEO of S&S Pro Services. “Outstanding results can be achieved by including this type of activity into a well-rounded, multiple channel marketing approach that includes: website optimization, pay per click, video, mobile, email and social media marketing.”

The future of @HiddenCash remains unknown, but for now, San Francisco locals are having fun with it.

“It’s not about the money,” explained Taylor Humphreys, as she searched park benches for one of the hidden envelopes. “It’s about finding it.”