Anyone can be scammed, large and small. A long time ago, 3 buddies and me were taking a long weekend trip from Oklahoma to Juarez. We stopped in a restaurant in Hobbs, NM. We all four had a really nice lunch before we got back on the road.
When we were getting ready to leave, one of my buddies put his wallet on the ground next to the booth where there was an older couple. So he got up, and asked the old guy, "Excuse me sir, did you happen to drop your wallet?" The old man checked and said, "No." So my buddy says, "When we get to the register I'll tell the cashier someone lost their wallet and if they come in for it, the cashier will know about where the wallet was lost, so if you just raise your hand she'll know." The old man said, "Okay."
So we get to the register and my buddy gives the cashier the ticket and says, "My grandpa is gonna pick up our check and him and grandma are sitting in that booth there." So the cashier looks, and the old man raises his hand.
Make a long story short, I imagine the restaurant comped our food that day.