The clear cup scam, as seen on TikTok, explained

From mouth-watering recipes to pulse-pounding dance techniques, TikTok is certainly the best place to follow the latest trends in the world. But as much as the ever-popular app houses plenty of good, it’s worth noting that there are a variety of bad trends simultaneously happening — including the Clear Cup Scam.

When it comes to social media pranks and gags, certain situations undoubtedly make it difficult for folks to comprehend whether something is actually a joke or not. Seeing as comedy is subjective, of course, what one person finds amusing might completely offend somebody else. Then again, when it comes to the idea of outright scamming people out of their money, it feels necessary to say that a scenario like that isn’t a joke. And yet, people will still try to pull it off regardless.

Since scamming is sadly becoming a focal point in our society, it should hardly come as a surprise that a fresh-faced scam is being introduced into the algorithm and causing a wave of TikTokers to wonder what exactly this scam entails.

So, what is the Clear Cup Scam?

If you’ve been doing a healthy amount of scrolling across your For You page lately, then chances are you’ve seen the aforementioned scam leaving people absolutely puzzled. Occurring in places such as Paris and Brussels, a scammer is positioned in the middle of a sidewalk or walkway who sets up a clear, plastic cup filled with coins or money. The scam is performed in the hopes that an individual walking by will accidentally kick or knock the cup over, with the money spilling out onto the ground.

After the cup is knocked over, the idea is that the individual who knocked the cup over will offer money as a pity donation. However, in a situation like this, the best option is to offer a sincere apology, help pick up the cup, and go on about your day. Of course, a handful of folks would probably fall for the trick and offer money, or, in other cases, the beggar will pickpocket the person while they’re bent over while picking up the cup. Either way, the scam is definitely a sure-fire way to enrage somebody if they’re able to figure out what is going on.