Viewing NYC Articles Categorized Under Scams

[WATCH] I Exposed Scammers in NYC!

2026-01-08T12:00:00-05:00

The video exposes various scams prevalent in New York City, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Times Square and Central Park. Matt Batista highlights common deceptions such as costumed characters demanding money for photos, deceptive comedy show ticket sales that hide mandatory fees, the sale of counterfeit designer goods and electronics like AirPods, and misleading hop-on-hop-off bus tour advertisements. The video also touches on potential pickpocketing tactics used by some individuals and conducts a social experiment with fake money to demonstrate the dishonesty of some street performers.

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[WATCH] New York City Scams That Tourists Keep Falling For

2023-04-25T12:00:00-04:00

Heading to the Big Apple and don't want to get scammed? Well it is not as bad as it used to be with the scams, but there are still some tourist scams that every day tourists need to look out for when they explore New York City. From the CD Hawkers to the missing menu prices there are things that trip even the most seasoned traveler when they visit New York.

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[WATCH] The Story of the Fake Socialite Who Scammed New York City's Elite

2019-06-14T17:00:00-04:00

Anna Delvy came on the New York City party scene in 2016 and immediately won over everyone. However, her bills started to pile up and New York City's finest hotels led to her eventual downfall. Cheddar investigates this fake heiress.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Fall for 'Single Ring' Robocalls Targeting New Yorkers

2019-05-05T14:00:00-04:00

A new type of 'single ring' robocall scam is hitting New Yorkers lately, and the FCC has issued a warning to ignore it. The scam works like this:

A target will receive a call from a number where it only rings one time.
The target may end up calling the number back, thinking it was a legitimate call
The target ends up calling a premium number, where a charge would hit the phone bill.

The best way to avoid this kind of scam is to use a robocall-filtering app, such as RoboKiller, available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Get Fooled By Social Security Scams Over the Telephone

2019-05-01T17:00:00-04:00

The New York City Police Department is warning New Yorkers about a increase in social security scam attempts targeting not only seniors, but many others as well.

Phone scams are on the rise, and it's not just affecting senior citizens, it's affecting everyone. A few tips to identify if the call is a scam:

1) The caller requests a prepaid gift card (Google Play or Apple);
2) Requests you send cash through FedEx
3) Asks you to use a BitCoin ATM
4) Requests you wire money to a new protected bank account.

Government agencies will never contact you by phone and demand payment, or ask for your Social Security number, driver's license, or bank account information.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Get Scammed by the Fake Monks Around NYC Tourist Hot Spots

2019-04-11T14:00:00-04:00

When the weather heats up and New York City tourists start to flock to the High Line, Central Park, and other local hot spots, it is inevitable that these so-called "monks" will show up in force, ready to scam anybody foolish enough to fall for it. The way the scam works is simple:

A man with a somewhat Asian appearance, orange robe and modest clothing walks alone through the park
The scammer picks a target, usually a tourist or group of tourists
The scammer hands you a card with some text about being on a spiritual journey, or that his monastery needs money to help spread peace, or something else uplifting. It boldly asks for donations of $20 or more.
The scammer pretends to not know English in order to deflect any questions.

I've personally witnessed several tourists fall for this, and have stepped in to stop dozens from being scammed. If you are a local, you should do the same. If you are a tourist, please don't fall for this scam.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Fall for Robocalls Targeting New Yorkers This Tax Season

2019-03-23T11:00:00-04:00

Despite being illegal in most cases, automated telephone calling, or "Robocalling" has increased dramatically in recent years, mostly due to lack of oversight, and action by the FCC and its horrible, hands-off director Ajit Pai. As such, New Yorkers can expect to receive many calls this tax season like this one that attempts to get your social security number. As a reminder, an employee of the IRS or New York Department of Taxation and Finance will never give you a phone call. Most New Yorkers already know this, but many do not, hence, an opportunity for scammers. Here's how the scam works:

Scammer issues a robocall to a target, claiming that the target is in some sort of tax/financial trouble.
Target responds to phone call and provides private information to verify their identity.
Scammer now has private information of target, used to steal identity, open credit cards, etc...

The scammer will often issue these robocalls to hundreds of thousands of stolen phone numbers for a very low cost. It only takes a few responses to make it worthwhile, which is why they do it. If you receive a call like this, immediately hang up. A good way to avoid the calls completely is to use an app that will help you to filter out unwanted calls, such as Robokiller for iOS and Android.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Get Tricked by the Staten Island Ferry Ticket Brokers

2018-08-18T15:00:00-04:00

After seeing this recent video from the Staten Island Advance, we want to remind you to not fall for the classic Staten Island Ferry ticket scam. Here's what we wrote about it last year:

The Staten Island Ferry has taken passengers completely free of charge since the City of New York removed the $0.50 fare in 1997. Most New Yorkers already know this, but many tourists do not, hence, an opportunity for scammers. Here's how the scam works:

A scammer, perhaps wearing some official-looking vest or badge, approaches a group of ferry-bound tourists near the Manhattan entrance to the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal.
The scammer says that the group needs tickets to ride the ferry, and that if they don't have them already, they can purchase the tickets from him/her.
The scammer takes money from the tourists, then hands them official-looking paper tickets and directs the tourist inside the building to continue.
Once the tourists realize that they do not need tickets, the scammer is long gone with the cash.

How much the scammer asks for varies, and different fake-tickets and fake-uniforms have all been used. Despite a heavy police presence in the area, and signs clearly stating that the ferry is completely free of charge, tourists still fall for this scam all the time, especially if they have poor English skills.

If you are a local and see this happening, flag down one of the patrolling police officers in the area. If you are a tourist, please be aware that the Staten Island Ferry is completely free, at all times of day and night, in both directions.

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NYPD Releases Scam Alert Regarding the Chinese Robocall Messages

2018-04-30T15:30:00-04:00

Today, we would like to remind the public about the fraudulent Chinese consulate calls, texts, or voice messages, trying to get your bank account information, credit card, or social security number and asking you to transfer money. This is a scam. If you receive any of these calls, please just hang up. But if you already transferred your money, please report it to the police immediately.

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NYC Scams 101: Don't Get Fooled by the CD Hustlers in Popular NYC Tourist Areas

2018-04-20T11:30:00-04:00

The CD Hustler scam is less of a scam, and more of a tourist trap with aggressive sales tactics that is prevalent in areas all over New York City where wide-eyed tourists roam. The scammers will use tricky interactions to try and force you to buy their music. Here's how it works.

A musician or rapper (scammer) will wait on the sidewalk for a victim to pass by.
The scammer will hand you one of their CDs as if it were a free handout, and ask you a basic question like "Do you like chill beats?"
The victim takes the CD and—because tourists are generally nicer and more trusting than grizzled New Yorkers—will engage in a conversation with the scammer. Usually this is led by the scammer as s/he tells the victim about their music.
At some point int he conversation, the scammer will offer to sign the CD for the victim. Because they are a self-proclaimer up-and-coming artist, many victims think "why not?" and let them sign the CD. The scammer will always say something like "Keep it real Alex", and personalize it somehow.
Eventually, the scammer will ask for some money for the CD, as they were careful earlier to never say it was free.
The victim will sometimes voluntarily give money for the CD, making it less of a scam. However, if the victim refuses to give money, the scammer will say that they cannot possibly sell the CD to anybody else now that it is signed, and pressures hard to get you to give them money for the now "useless" CD.

Whether or not the music on the CD is actually the musician/scammer is hard to verify. Some people around the web have reported getting blank CDs, or a CD with only one track. It is irrelevant for the purposes of the scam what is actually on the CD, but it is important to recognize the aggressive tactics these scammers use to try and get you to buy one.

The way to prevent this scam is simple: Don't take any handouts somebody is pushing on the NYC streets.

Here is a YouTube video that somebody captured of a group of these musicians hustling some tourists in Times Square:

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