9 Scams to AVOID in New York City!

By Adam Guy

There are swindlers and cheats around the world preying on tourists. Because New York City is the most visited city in America, we have an abundance of scam artists all trying to do one thing… con you out of your money!  Now, I don’t want this blog to create anxiety or fear. On nearly all occasions, a bit of common sense and simple avoidance will keep you from getting duped. 

In this blog, I describe nine common scams you might run into while exploring NYC and the best ways to avoid being swindled.

1. Fake Monks Giving Bracelets – You may. Encounter men dressed in yellow robes pretending to be monks. They are often trolling in Times Square and in the surrounding area. Usually, they try to hand you a bracelet and put it on your wrist like a loving gift. It’s not. At some point you will be asked to make a “donation” to a temple being built in Taiwan or some other remote country.

   
   

   

   
   

   Guess what… there’s no temple. REAL monks do not go around NYC asking for donations. What to do… don’t take the bracelet. Don’t engage with them in any way. Steer away from them. You don’t need to respond. Ignore them. Avoid the monks.

   
   

2. Hot Dog Upcharge – Most hot dog and food cart vendors are on the up and up. But some do prey on unknowing visitors who don’t know the price of a hot dog or drink. Once you order, they might look you up and down and make up a price they think you can pay. You’ve already ordered and may even have your treat in hand. If you don’t pay what they say, you may be in for a headache.

   
   

   

   
   

   This one’s easy to avoid.  Look for vendors who have prices on display. It’s a NYC law that you must display a price list. If they don’t have prices posted, ask first before you order. If you think it’s too much, it is. There’s SO many street vendors around, so you can do comparison shopping at food carts nearby.

3. Time Square Characters – Scam might be the wrong word for this one. It’s more about aggressiveness and opportunism. Those costumed characters like Elmo, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Naked Cowboy, want your money and will happily take a photo with you. They expect tips, and there’s no set amount for it. $5 seems fair to me. But once characters see you pursuing a photo, many will gather and want to insert themselves in the picture. So, a photo with 5 Spidermen might cost you $25, and they will aggressively pursue their tip.

   
   

   

   
   

   They also prey on children. These tricksters know parents don’t want to disappoint their kids. They will grab them, hug them, anything to win their good graces. To me, this is egregious and can be dangerous. Talk to your kids first when you know characters are in the area. Watch your kiddos closely. Be firm with your kids and the costumed characters if something happens. Better safe than sorry.

   
   

4. CD Hustler Guys – In 2025, this scam should be the MOST obvious as a scam. Who owns a CD player anymore? The scam works like this: A musician or rapper hands you a CD trying to get you to listen to their new music. They are charming and eager, just trying to “make a name” for themselves. You accept the CD. Then they offer to autograph it for you, and they do. Guess what comes next? “That’ll be $20!” And they will aggressively try to get the money from you. The kicker… there’s a good chance THERE’S NOTHING ON THE CD.

   
   

   These days, some CD guys will offer a CD size piece of paper with a QR code to download their “music” on it instead handing you a physical CD. I’ve never tried it, but I bet if you scan that QR code, what appears is a picture of you with egg on your face!

   
   

5. Staten Island Ferry / Statue of Liberty Ticket Vendors - There are fake vendors hanging outside the Staten Island Ferry terminal hawking cruises to the Statue of Liberty. They are usually wearing blue or purple vests that say “Authorized Seller” without any affiliation to a known company. They greet people as they approach the plaza in front of the Ferry Terminal and at the exit to the subway. “Are you going to the Statue,” they’ll ask. They are great conversationalists and play off like they are just being helpful. Soon they will convince you that they can sell you tickets to the Statue of Liberty.

   
   

   THEY CAN’T. I have no idea what they are selling to be honest. I heard of a guest who purchased whatever “tickets” they were selling. They paid $250. Then later they looked at their credit card statement and found a charge of $825 from that “vendor”.

   
   

   

   
   

   There are only two ways to buy official tickets to go TO the Statue of Liberty. You can go to Castle Clinton, an old fort just a few hundred yards away in the Battery (park next door) to buy tickets in person. OR, you can buy official tickets online from THIS SITE. That’s it!

   
   

   There are reputable tour companies that offer ferry cruises AROUND the Statue of Liberty but don’t dock here. Check out my blog all about the Statue of Liberty for recommendations on those.

   
   

   Some of this scam artists might even try to sell you a ticket to the Staten Island Ferry. Taking the Staten Island Ferry is 100% FREE ALL THE TIME. This is a commuter ferry that takes people back and forth to Staten Island. It conveniently goes BY the Statue of Liberty, so is a popular way to see her without cost or schedule limitations.

   
   

   IGNORE ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS. DON’T EVEN ENGAGE WITH THEM. For one, the Staten Island Ferry is FREE. Two, I have no idea which Statue cruises these folks are selling. The authorities have done several crackdowns on these “vendors” over the years, many of whom they determined were trying to scam people.

   
   

6. Pedicabs – Here’s why pedicabs are a scam or at least a bit dubious. They charge by the minute – usually between $3.99 - $9.99. While some have the price posted on a small placard on the side of their vehicle, some don’t or carefully avoid letting you see it. They can also change it when they want. What they try to do is get you in the pedicab, using neon lights and boppy music to entice you. Once the ride starts, you are theirs! So, when the ride ends, the price is what it is. If you sat at a traffic light for four minutes, that’s four minutes of time charged. That 10-block trip might cost you $50-$100. Pedicab rides are unregulated (like taxi prices are) and the drivers are in it to make MONEY at all costs.

   
   

   

   
   

   I had a guest from overseas who took a pedicab from the Financial District to the start of the High Line. They didn’t know any of this, and they were charged $375 for the ride. The same trip via subway would have been $5.80. I felt SO bad for them!

   
   

   Note: Pedicab tours of Central Park can be ok. Putting aside that the “tours” are not always accurate on the information side, A ride in the park can be lovely. But MAKE SURE YOU NEGOTIATE A FIXED PRICE BEFORE GETTING IN. I suggest between $100-$140 for an hour plus a tip.

   
   

7. Gypsy Cabs and Fake Uber at Airports – I mentioned this shady practice in my Airport Transportation blog. Do NOT take gypsy cabs. Gypsy cabs are the floater people in baggage claim or just outside the terminal who are harassingly asking… “Need a ride? Where ya going?” It’s not a scam, but they are not regulated or metered and unless you know where you are going and how much the relative ride should be from a cab, you’re going to get ripped off. 

   
   

   Sometimes these take the form of fake Uber or Lyft drivers. If you didn’t order the ride through the official app, don’t take the ride. It’s that easy. They might say something like, “I just lost my last ride” or “I just dropped someone off and am headed back into the city anyway.” All are just ruses to get you in the car and charge you as much as possible for the ride. I’d also consider personal safety for this one. You are getting into car with a random stranger. At least official drivers for taxis and rideshares are registered with a company and trackable.

   
   

8. OMNY Card Scam – OMNY is the new-ish method to pay for the subway system. You should be cautious of scams involving fake offers to "help" you buy an OMNY card, especially when approached by people near subway stations. Scammers pose as helpful assistants but are trying to steal your money or bank card information.

   
   

   

    

   This happened to my guest Alan. He was trying to buy a card. Some guy offered to help him, then paid for the card with HIS card, then told Alan to give him $80 for the amount he said he added as value in the OMNY card. While the card worked, Alan knew he ended up getting scammed out of at least $50.

   
   

   Ask for help from official attendants at the station. If there isn’t one, google how to use the OMNY card machine right there before buying it. There are also other ways to pay for the subway. I wrote a blog all about using the NYC subway. Check it out!

   
   

9. Three Card Monty Game – The street card game has been a scam since the beginning of time. You can't win. All the people around the game are in on the scam. If you see someone win, guess what... they're in on the scam, too. This advice is easy. DON'T PLAY!

   
   

   

Advice on Protecting Yourself from Scams

• Be skeptical. If you are not sure about something, question it, and don't trust unsolicited offers or requests for money.

  
  

• Do research ahead of time on everything from using the subway to how and when to tip properly to personal safety. There’s this thing called the internet that will tell you everything you need to know. You are on it right now!

   

• Be aware of what’s around you. Put your common sense on high alert. Assess what you see. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

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There are more scams and sketchy practices than I’ve outlined above. Please know that scams aren’t just a NYC thing. Hopefully, my advice helps you in all your world travels. I just want you to be aware and safe and have the best time possible in New York City.

Speaking of, I can help you have a spectacular time here. I Know A Guy NYC Tours offers private, personal, and fun adventures around the city. Not only will I show you the sights, but I’ll also teach you how to use the subway, how the streets work, and all the dos and don’ts of NYC. Once you learn all that, you’ll fall in love with the city even more. Lots of guests have been on a tour with me. See what they had to say!

Check out what tours are like by following I Know A Guy NYC Tours Facebook or Instagram. You’ll completely get the vibe.

Thanks for reading this blog! If you would like to chat about your upcoming trip and possible tour ideas, please contact me at aguy@iknowaguy.nyc. I'm quite friendly!

© All photos by Adam Guy