NYC Street Smarts Reminder

Over the past year, there has been a lot of overwrought media coverage (from a handful of outlets) making it sound like New York has become a crime-ridden hellhole. Then visitors come here and are shocked… to have a totally safe, wonderful experience.

It is true that, like every major city post-Covid, NYC has seen a noticeable uptick in crime. But that is an uptick from… among the safest decades in the city’s history. And so it is also true that NYC remains the safest big city in America, and that the average visitor/tourist is highly unlikely to experience any of what they have seen in the media.

The primary risk to a tourist is from increasingly aggressive scammers, that the city refuses to crack down on. I have written about these in the past, but it’s worth a reminder. My general rules of thumb: A) Do not take ANYTHING that someone on the streets attempts to hand you. Even if it seems innocuous, 9 times out of 10, there’s a scam involved; & B) You do not even owe anyone trying to part you with your money a polite “no thank you”… you can/should ignore them, & keep going.

Anyway, here’s a rundown of the top scams a tourist is likely to experience:

1. The CD guys.
   Here's how this goes down: a young man (often now a group of them) will approach you, telling you he's a breakout musician, and will practically shove a homemade CD into your hand. He will then autograph it for you. But then he/they will demand payment for the CD. If you don't pay, the CD guys often become verbally aggressive, until you pay up, just to get away. They tend to congregate mostly around Times Square, but are ever expanding. If they insist, call the police!
   
   Again, your best is to never take anything someone attempts to hand you in NYC.
   
   

2. The fake monks.
   While the Elmos and Doras of Times Square get more press, there are far more insidious costumed menaces roaming the city... the fake monks. You will spot them all over the high-traffic areas of Central Park, and occasionally in popular spots like the Financial District or beyond. Dressed as Buddhist monks, these beggars will approach you, hand you a trinket or bracelet, and then ask for money. They hope you will be too polite or embarrassed to just hand it back and walk away. But that's what you should do.
   
   

3. The Battery Park ticket sellers.
   Battery Park is a lovely park in lower Manhattan, with views of the harbor, Statue of Liberty, and downtown skyscrapers like the World Trade Center. It is also your waterway portal to harbor cruises, the (free) Staten Island Ferry, boats to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, the Governors Island Ferry, & more. But in recent years, the park has become plagued by third-party ticket sellers, many unlicensed, who harass visitors into purchasing boat tickets. Many of them lie to, and scam, visitors about what the ticket they purchased is for. Some will appear as someone attempting to give you directions, then start their sales pitch.
   
   Your best bet: Do not purchase tickets from anyone on the street. Buy your ticket from the booth or building where the company is based. If you see aggressive ticket sellers, find and inform the nearest police officer.
   
   

4. Street Dancers
   Street dance crews, most commonly seen around the City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge area, or in Central Park, can seem a fun distraction when wandering the city streets. But you're better off ignoring them, and keep moving. Often their "shows" begin by showing their impressive moves. This draws in the crowds. Then, the dancers pull in a few volunteers from the crowd, and line them up. This is where the show grinds to a halt. The dancers will stop, leaving the volunteers standing in the circle awkwardly endlessly, while they shake down the audience for "tips" (often requesting $20 or more). The volunteers will be asked for the biggest tips. Then, after several minutes of going around collecting money, and awkward homophobic jokes at the volunteers' expense, they will perform their brief stunt, and send everyone away a little poorer when they arrived.
   
   Again, best to keep moving.
    

5. Times Square character photos
   In Times Square, you will see countless people in costumes (Elmo, Minions, Batman, Statue of Liberty, etc) coming up to tourists, having them take photos with them. This seems harmless fun, and kids of course love it, but please note these unlicensed performers expect a tip in exchange for the photo. Refuse to tip, and some performers may become angry. This is among the most harmless hustles... feel free to grab a fun photo, just be aware a dollar or two is expected in exchange.
    

6. The Ground Zero street sellers.
   Technically, this is less a scam, and more just predatory sales. But it's a pet peeve of mine, so I'm including it here. Near the World Trade Center (usually on Church St, between Fulton & Vesey), street sellers gather to sell 9/11 photo books, and similar "souvenirs" to tourists in the area. They are not affiliated with any official organization, and certainly not with the memorial. They are vultures, who are profiting off a tragedy. Please do not buy from them.
   
   Interested in purchasing books related to the World Trade Center? The memorial & museum have an official gift shop & kiosks... where the money goes to a good cause.

But, again, please don't let any of this scare you! 99% of New Yorkers are polite, helpful, and are happy to welcome you to our city! But it is important to be aware of these scams, and have the confidence to avoid them.