Grift: Melon Drop

Any good person who bumped into a stranger and broke an expensive possession would offer to pay them for it. People tend to feel responsible when they break things, and that’s what melon drop scammers are counting on. This scam gets its name from cons who originally used melons at a time when melon prices were at a record high in Japan. The cons would bump into Japanese tourists, drop melons, and demand payment. The tourists would pay jacked-up prices without question.

The modern version of this scam involves throwing worthless broken glass in a box and wrapping it up to look nice. The scammers scan the crowd for someone who isn’t paying attention and bump into them, making it seem as if it was the mark’s fault. They then explain that the box contained an expensive vase—usually a gift for their mother, boss’s wife, dying grandma, anyone—which is now broken. They may even produce a receipt to prove its value. You’re lucky if you’re out less than $100 after this scam.