History Main / FoolsMap

* An episode of ''Anime/RanmaOneHalf'' had Ranma and Ryoga trying to find some artifacts that would cure their Jusenkyo curses using a map that Cologne had deciphered for them. It leads them all around Nerima before ending up back at Cologne's ramen shop. Ranma naturally thinks this is in effect and attacks, but in the process [[SubvertedTrope uncovers the very thing he was looking for]].

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bartmapscam.png]]]]

[[quoteright:310:[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wrongmap.PNG]]]]

A character is out on a TreasureHuntEpisode, when they are given a TreasureMap that supposedly leads the character to the location of the treasure. However, when you find [[XMarksTheSpot where the X is located]] and you dig for the treasure, you find nothing but dirt, rusty tin cans and an old tire . Turns out that someone gave you a fake map, either intentionally (because they are a ConMan and you paid for the map) or accidentally, as they didn't realize it was a forgery.

* Attempted in ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies2ItsAboutTime''. Before completing Pirate Seas, you receive a treasure map. The steps say to “stomp plants” and it supposedly leads you to “Treasure! [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial (Not Zombies)]]”.

* The {{Gamebook}} ''Literature/ThePortOfPeril'' has the reader's character picking up a treasure map two guys coming out of a bar throw away. Since this avatar is currently reduced to eating out of garbage bins, they decide to check out the map anyway.

* The {{Gamebook}} ''Literature/ThePortOfPeril'' has the reader's character picking up a treasure map two guys coming out of a bar throw away. Since this avatar is currently reduced to eating out of garbage bins, they decide to check out the map anyway since they have no other leads.

* The {{Gamebook}} ''Literature/ThePortOfPeril'' has the reader's character picking up a treasure map two guys coming out of a bar throw away. Since this avatar is currently reduced to eating out of garbage bins, they decide to check out the map anyway, even though it does indeed turn out to be a dud.

* In the kung-fu film parody ''Many Return of Honorable Grasshopper Fighting'', the grasshoppers of Master Chinese follow his map across deserts, snowy plains, cliffs, and a temple filled with ninjas, only to find the end of the journey leads to a 7-Eleven in their hometown. When asking him why he gave them such a long path to get there, their master responds: "The answer is simple, grasshoppers: I got those directions on [=MapQuest=]."

A character is out on a treasure hunt, when they are given a TreasureMap that supposedly leads the character to the location of the treasure. However, when you find [[XMarksTheSpot where the X is located]] and you dig for the treasure, you find nothing. Turns out that someone gave you a fake map, either intentionally or accidentally.

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

* ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'': The Wyrmworks in Silverymoon is a shop selling various dragon-related items, including maps to dragon lairs. The openly displayed maps are clearly stated to be for decorative purposes only, but real maps are also available if you ask. However,unknown to the owners, many of the "real" maps they acquire are more subtle deceptions that fail to mention traps or similar, because they've secretly been created by the shop assistant, who the owners think is human but is actually a song dragon, and loves working for them but is not inclined to make things easy for prospective dragon slayers.

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', after the Order of the Scribble was dissolved and each of its former members was assigned the task of guarding one of the rifts, Girard Draketooth deliberately gave wrong co-ordinates for the desert rift to Soon Kim, the member of the Order who he disliked and distrusted the most. He instead gave co-ordinates for a completely random spot in the desert, then left a magical message (and ''[[YouShoulHaveDiedInstead bomb]]'') at that spot that would activate and mock Soon Kim if he went to those co-ordinates seeking the rift himself. Not only was he being ImproperlyParanoid about Soon Kim coming for the rift, but he ended up putting the Order in a spot as they needed to find the gate before Xykon[[note]]who ended up having the ''real'' coordinates[[/note]] got to it first.