Common Tourist Scams in Times Square (and How to Avoid Them)
The scam zoo
- Costumed characters (Elmo, Mickey, Minnie, Spider-Man, Naked Cowboy): pose for free, then demand $5-20 + sometimes follow you. NYC has tried to regulate (designated zones); enforcement spotty. Don't pose unless you've agreed payment in advance.
- Painted Desnudas (topless body-painted women): same tipping aggression. Same advice.
- "Free" CD from a rapper: pressed into your hand → demand for $20. Walk on without taking it.
- Fake monk + bracelet: orange-robed scammer ties bracelet on you → demands "donation". Walk on.
- Three-card monte: rigged street gambling, often with pickpocket coordination.
- Fake bus + tour-bus touts: aggressive sales. Real Big Bus + CitySightseeing have official kiosks; ignore street pitches.
- "Subway swipe" scammers: claim to swipe you in for cash; OMNY needs a tap, not a swipe. Don't pay.
- Restaurant menu without prices: especially side-street tourist traps. Ask first or skip.
Pickpockets + crowds
- Pickpocket density: among NYC's highest — the volume of distracted phone-using tourists is the target.
- Keep phone in front pocket: not back pocket; not loose in hand while walking.
- Bag in front of body: in dense crowds.
- Don't film selfies in the middle of pedestrian flow: creates pickpocket opportunity.
- Phone-snatching: increasingly e-bike + scooter snatchers grabbing phones from people standing near street edges. Stand back.
Scams + the costume-character pricing problem
- Costumed characters (Elmo, Spider-Man, Statue of Liberty): take photos with tourists for "tips". A $5 photo can balloon to $20-40 with multiple characters. The NYPD marked a "Designated Activity Zone" between 42nd and 50th; tips remain expected. Tip $1-2 only if you initiated; decline if they grabbed you.
- "Free CD/mixtape" pitch: musicians hand you a CD then demand $10-20. Don't take it; walk past.
- Counterfeit theatre tickets: street touts sell printed-PDF tickets that won't scan at the door. Use official channels only.
- "Discount" hop-on-hop-off bus tour pitches: tour touts quote 10-20% less than online, then add hidden upgrade fees. Big Bus, CitySightseeing, Top View, Gray Line are the established operators — book via their websites.
- Three-card monte + shell game: still happens in Times Square pop-ups. Never bet; the dealer + the "winners" are working together.
- Aggressive panhandling: increased post-pandemic. Standard "no thanks" works; don't pull out cash visibly.
- Pickpocketing in dense spots: especially around the TKTS booth, the M&M Store, Disney Store, and during New Year's Eve. Phone in front pocket; wallet in zipped bag.
- Tourist-trap store pricing: M&M / Hershey / Disney stores charge 2-3× normal retail. Walk to a 7-Eleven for actual M&Ms.
FAQ
- What scam should I watch for in Times Square?
- The signature Times Square scam is the costumed-character tip trap — Elmo, Spider-Man, Mickey, the Naked Cowboy, and the painted Desnudas pose with you for 'free' then demand $5-40 and sometimes follow you down the block. The NYC NYPD marked a 'Designated Activity Zone' between 42nd and 50th but enforcement is spotty; tip $1-2 only if you initiated, decline firmly if they grabbed you. Beyond that the scam zoo includes: 'free' CD/mixtape from a rapper pressed into your hand then a demand for $10-20 (walk on without taking it), fake monks with bracelets demanding 'donations', three-card monte rigged street gambling often paired with pickpockets, fake bus and tour-bus touts (Big Bus and CitySightseeing have official kiosks — ignore street pitches), 'subway swipe' scammers (OMNY needs a tap not a swipe, don't pay anyone), counterfeit theatre tickets from street touts (use TKTS, TodayTix, Telecharge, Broadway Direct or the show's own box office), and Times Square chain stores (M&M / Hershey / Disney) charging 2-3× normal retail (walk to a 7-Eleven for actual M&Ms). Restaurant menus without prices on side-street tourist traps — ask first or skip.
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