Common Tourist Scams in Times Square, New York (and How to Avoid Them)
Costume characters and the tip-or-else scam
- What you'll see: Elmo, Mickey, Minnie, Hello Kitty, Spider-Man, the Naked Cowboy (the original Robert Burck), the Statue of Liberty painted performers, the various superhero imitators. Up to 50+ characters on a busy summer Saturday.
- The pricing reality: there is no posted price. After a photo, the character demands a tip — typically $5-10, sometimes $20-40. Refusal can produce aggressive behaviour. Multiple NYPD reports of harassment incidents over the years.
- The 2014 regulation: NYC restricted character solicitation to designated "activity zones" within Times Square pedestrian plazas. Characters must wear ID, cannot block pedestrian flow, and tips must be voluntary. Enforcement is uneven.
- Practical advice: do not pose for photos with any costumed character in Times Square unless you're prepared to tip $5-10. If you accidentally engage, $5 is the standard payoff that ends the interaction. Children pulled into photos by characters is the most common parent-tourist complaint.
- The Naked Cowboy specifically: the original Robert Burck (in white briefs, cowboy hat, with a guitar) is a Times Square institution and a legitimate busker. Photos are $10. Multiple imitators (cowgirls, Naked Indian, etc.) operate similarly.
- The straightforward rule: enjoy watching the characters from a distance; do not engage unless you want to pay; keep children's hands held when crossing the activity zones.
Ticket touts, comedy club promoters, CD rappers
- The "Broadway ticket" tout: men on the pedestrian plazas offer "discount Broadway tickets" — typically vague offers without specific show or seat. Real discount tickets are at the TKTS booth in Father Duffy Square (the red steps under the staircase) or at the actual theatre box offices.
- The "comedy club" promoter: typically young men or women approach offering "free comedy show tonight". The drinks-minimum at the venue is $20-30, and the show is usually competent but not free. Decide based on whether you want a show, not based on the "free" framing.
- The CD-rapper sell: men with stacks of CDs press one into your hand "as a gift" or "to support local artists", then demand $20-50 once you've taken it. Do not accept the CD; if accidentally taken, hand it back and walk on.
- The "petition for the homeless" approach: clipboard signature scam — engagement creates pickpocket or aggressive donation-demand opportunity.
- The street-vendor pricing: hot dogs and pretzels from carts on Times Square are 2-3x the cart prices a few blocks away. Not a scam — just tourist pricing. $7-10 for a hot dog; $5-6 for a pretzel in 2026.
- The TKTS booth: the legitimate Broadway discount ticket booth in Father Duffy Square (47th and Broadway, under the red staircase). Same-day discounted seats at 25-50% off; opens 15:00 for evening shows, queue forms 1-2 hours before opening.
FAQ
- How do I avoid the Broadway ticket scams in Times Square?
- Use only two channels for discount tickets: the TKTS booth in Father Duffy Square (47th and Broadway, under the red staircase — same-day discounted seats at 25-50% off, opens 15:00 for evening shows) or the actual theatre box offices (often have unsold seats at modest discounts on the day). Ignore the men on the pedestrian plazas offering 'discount Broadway tickets' — these are vague offers without specific show or seat, often for non-existent or massively-overpriced packages. The TKTS line queues 1-2 hours before opening; bring patience. Off-Broadway venues in Hell's Kitchen and East Village offer better-value alternatives.
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