It's been a few years since I was last in NYC. One thing scammers love to take advantage of is our natural instinct to be polite. Learn to say "no" and walk away. Be as firm as needed. The "NO" is internationally recognized.
As a non-scamming NYer, even I can spot tourists a mile a way, so try to blend as much as possible! I only say this because scammers can spot easy prey. Also, regular NYers LOVE to give advice (directions; which subway to take; etc.), so don't be afraid to ask questions to ho hum people waiting for the subway or bus. We've got you covered if you ask. Scammers will approach you first, unsolicited.
@@tashisalwayshere Ha, ha, I can only give the same advice I follow myself when traveling to other places: wear plain clothes, the darker the better; try to keep your voice low when out and about because perps and scammers can pick up on those accents; keep your expensive jewelry at home; try to keep your wallet in a safe place when you're out on the street and keep some random bills in your pocket so you don't have to take out your wallet. Sometimes the homeless will approach you while you're waiting for a train, etc., and I found the best policy, in order to avoid conflict, is to just have a few coins or a dollar on you (never take out your wallet). I know it probably sounds ridiculous but you constantly need to be aware of your surroundings. I know it's exciting and fun to visit places and people often get caught up in the excitement. Remain chill and have a great time. :)
@@tashisalwayshere Yes, don't look up at all the building with a camera around your neck. And only ask people for directions who don't look psycho. And don't wear expensive jewelry and no cowboy hats...no New Yorker would ever wear a cowboy hat walking around ever, or cowboy boots. Just walk around like you've lived here forever and you'll be perfectly fine. Also, when you're in Times Sq dont be impressed with any crazy shit happening in the streets...walk on by like we do.
5th generation New Yorker here. Best tip I can give to blend in and not stick out as a tourist: If you hear a loud yell, scream, bang, whistle or any other distracting noise (especially from a fellow human) don't stop and look. Don't even turn your head to be curious. New Yorkers don't care as this is the natural wildlife background noise or "soundtrack" to the city. Just look straight ahead and keep it moving, you will be just fine. 😁
I mean...isn't ignoring someone who needs help (or might need help) objectively awful? I dunno, this tip doesn't sit well with me. I don't mind turning my head to check - as a young female, I need to be aware of my surroundings anyways. If it's a nothing burger, I keep on stepping. And I traveled to NYC regularly, never had any trouble.
I just returned from a 1-week trip to NY and fortunately I didn’t encounter any of these scams. (Although I did see fake monks preparing to start their business). However, a huge signboard advertising “$1 slice of pizza” caught my eye and I thought that was a good deal. I ordered one slice to go but was surprised it wasn’t $1! All because I failed to notice the fine print that said “applicable only for 2nd purchase”. 😂
Those $1 pizza places were legit and a way to eat cheap ! However, with inflation, most if not all places, are now charging more. Some have not changed their signage . The " small print " twist is a new one.
The food cart pricing is a real issue. It's not targeted at tourists but EVERYONE. An important rule, no matter where you are, always know the price before you make a purchase.
If you’re in a touristy area and you ask how much is a water bottle and they say $4, if you say that you only have $2 on you, they’ll usually accept that. That might help.
Hi Mark, great video. I think before anyone travels they should watch your videos. Very informative. You saved me some hassle in Paris. Scams everywhere. This guy tried to tie a string around my finger. I kept saying no thanks. Then he grabs my arm and get aggressive. I pulled my hand away, told him to F off. Finally he left me alone. My tip is to avoid eye contact and if you do, keep walking and ignore them. As always have a good one eh!😁🇨🇦
We had that in Milan and Rome last summer. Super aggressive and then they started yelling at us for not letting them tie something onto my kid. It was bad.
As soon as I arrived in NYC and tried to purchase a metro card, some local came up to me and my husband and was trying to show us how to buy a card. We were perfectly capable of this, but he was walking up to the machine with us. Had to tell him to get lost, and watched him do it to the next. Assuming he was going to ask to be tipped
Now you don't even need a MetroCard. You can just use your phone with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to enter the Subway system. You can also use a debit or credit card if it has that contactless symbol on it. Also, if you use the same payment method at least 12 times between Monday and Sunday, all rides from the 13th on are free.
Good Morning, Mark, great info, while my husband and I know we were in NYC a few years @ Times Square the CD GUYs were really rude to me even when I tried to avoid them. They said I had to purchase there CD even when I wasn’t even near there set up. When I refused they insulted me. After that experience I avoided Times Square, been there done that. Fortunately, I knew what I was getting into when from watching Here be Barr and Sarah Funk before visiting NYC.
Thank you so much, Wolter, I knew of scams like 'the pigeon drop' or the 'you stepped on my Art, now pay me' scams, but you showed many more I'd never heard of.
Thank you, thank you, thank you as a New Yorker I always try to help tourist and guide them about scans. Look for vendors with posted prices, make sure they are wearing/changing gloves, I advise them to be aware of yellow cabs traveling the "long way" and tipping. You hit the huge NYC scams on the head. I hope travellers/tourist watch this. Also when asking for direction ask at least 3 different people to make sure you got the right information. Be leary, stay alert (especially at night) if someone wants to show/take you to your destination.
Thank you Jules. I love new york and want other travelers to love ot too. So if I can help with the tips I'm glad to do it. Good tip with the ask 3 people. Good to triangulation the actual way 😀
Great video. One scam I see constantly are Times Square people asking people if they want to see a free comedy show. I’ve heard about a few tourists who were curious enough to follow them and end up at a bar being pressured to buy overpriced drinks while a comedian is technically performing on a stage in the same room.
I had a taxi scam in Toronto a few years ago where the driver was circling the same blocks over and over and then I demanded to just be dropped off somewhere close to my destination 😂 always have your own maps open on your phone when going somewhere and make sure any driver is legit is such a good tip!
This why, when at home, or traveling, I use Uber (or other ride-share apps) instead of taxis. Taxis have an incentive to take longer routes, and with ride share apps, their incentive is to get you to your destination as quickly as possible. Also, I usually find the ride share cars to be better maintained, and the drivers more polite (compared to taxis), likely because they know they will be rated by the rider, and their ratings are very important in order to continue to work. I don't like supporting big corporations like Uber that often screw their drivers, but taxi drivers try to screw customers so often that I just avoid them when possible.
Yup. I stopped in Nimes France on my way to Paris and the taxi driver took us thr long way. I was thinking thr hotel was supposed to be 10 mins away. It took 30 mins. No traffic. The morning after the concert we took a cab back to the train station. It took 10 mins. With some traffic.
I'm from Toronto and the cab drivers will try to rip you off if you let them. You can be a resident or a tourist. On the rare times I use a cab, I say "go west on Queen Street and turn right when I tell you." They always obey.
Another addition to the photo scam: If you want to take a picture with one character, a second character will join the photo so that you have to pay both.
Guess what Mark! Terry & I were travelling in NY with another couple, Kay & Rod. We girls were walking ahead of the boys & some CD scammers came up to us & we said, 'no thanks' & kept on walking, turned around & here are Terry & Rod buying a CD. Kay & I just laughed & said, 'you two have just been taken for a ride'. We did not let them forget it & laughed the whole time we were in NY & after. We were in NY for 2 weeks & loved it.
I had the monk scam, guy walked towards me so I just mouthed "F-off" and he avoided me. Hotdogs seemed to be $5 a pop, which shocked me. I saw loads of people getting scammed by the Times Square characters. They tried to jump into my frame when taking photos, so I just gave them the middle finger when they tried playing stupid games. Loads of sketchy guys pretending to be Uber and offering "private lifts" outside JFK, I was waiting for a Carmel car that I had booked and waiting 20 mins for it I must have been approached at least a dozen times. I kept saying no but it made no difference. So I just blanked them in the end.
As a veteran tourist in New York, my favorite City (even though l have an 11-hour flight to get there), l have never come across any of these scams. l did once encounter a man offering two free tickets to the Circle Line cruise. l took them, giving one to an Asian lady, and when my turn came to get aboard, l showed the ticket to the collector, and she said it was valid.
Thank you, Mark!! When I traveled New York and Los Angeles, I experienced some of scams you mentioned. Those scams are real and it is good to know in advance! Especially anyone from non English speaking countries.
That was a *beautiful* British accent at 8:10 BTW!! I've never been to NYC (never been to the US even) but it's one of the very few places in the US I'd like to visit one day. And so many of these scams are things to be aware of in any major city - I used to visit London regularly (I'm from the southeast of England) and so many of these are reminiscent of things to watch out for there.
Enjoy your videos, Mark! Some great information in this video. Last May I had three guys surround me in front of the M&M's store in Times Square trying to "give" me their CD and then asking for a donation. I politely declined and carried on, but definitely a common tactic used in NYC. Who uses CDs regularly still anyhow? lol
It's a scam that's like 20 years old at this point, and they haven't updated it because it still works. The CD is almost incidental. They surround you in a group so it feels like a mugging, and you give them $$ just to get away.
I live in NYC and one day I decided to be a tourist so I got an I ❤️ NY t shirt and a selfie stick and headed to Times Square to see how many scammers approached me. It was almost immediately. There were the CD guys and the monks and the characters I pretended to buy into their scam but then never gave them money and they get aggressive. I went on a circle line, tour, bus, and then a circle line tour boat. And I actually enjoyed it. I enjoyed being a tourist in my own city. Other than getting heckled by scammers. But the bus ride and the boat I learned a lot about New York City that I’ve never known before. If you have never been a Tourist in your own city, I highly recommend it.
These are great tips. I think that there are versions of some of these in every city - I've seen the going out of business in Vancouver, Calgary etc. But ya - some are great and are good to know for your personal safety.
yep, i have made videos on scams that are for general scams to know and no one watches them. When I make them on cities then people watch, so got to find ways to help out fellow travelers the most
Hi Mr Wolters, I just want to say that I enjoy your channel. I'm a local New Yorker & everything that you stated about visiting this city the precautions are correct. Especially the CD hawkers& hot dog vendors- they are ridiculous with their prices. One other scam are those sightseeing bus tours. You have to wait for the bus which usually in traffic & some tourist don't have time to wait. Great. Thanks Nelson
I do find sightseeing bus tours good when you are tired of walking or taking underground transport and still want to get around. But need to rest a little. I did that in London cos I noticed how tired I was from always on the go in other cities I vacationed in. I also bud in time to rest. Even nap. Cos I've missed out on pre bought activities cos I burnt myself out during the day..or literally slept through early morning ones.
One great tip to see the Statue of Liberty, if you do not want to actually pay to go ON the island. You can ride the Staten Island ferry for FREE ! No ticket needed. It travels on it's journey, from downtown Manhattan, directly past Lady Liberty! Ride on the right side of the ferry heading outbound from Manhattan and left side on return. Once you arrive on the borough of Staten Island just jump on the next ferry heading back to Manhattan.
Saying that once you get to Staten Island you should just get back on the ferry and leave is honestly the best assessment of Staten Island anyone can give. But yes, you do get a nice view of the harbor, downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn from the SI ferry. I think they may be charging for tickets in the near future though, it's something that's come up recently now that the city is bouncing back from covid.
I hate the CD guys. I will always politely say no and just walk away when they try handing me a CD unsolicited, and then they usually will respond with something like, "Are you afraid of black people?" or something like that, trying to make you out to be some kind of racist because you didn't want their fake CDs. That stuff really pisses me off. I've encountered them on the Las Vegas Strip as well.
There’s a scam that I remember happening to me on several occasions years ago before I left New York. A guy drives up to you and asks if you speak Italian. When you tell him no, he tells you that he’s a representative for Armani or Brioni and was in town for a fashion convention. He’s on his way to the airport and wants to offload the suits at a huge discount so he won’t have to pay the extra baggage fees or whatever. I always told them “no thanks,” and went on my way. But I’m guessing he’s just holding a bunch of cheap knockoff suits.
That happened to me in LA. They were hanging out in front of USC and trying this up and down the main boulevard fronting the university. I kept it moving. And looked it up later: It's a scam that is also common in Italy.
Hey Mark! Thanks for all these videos! I've wanted to travel abroad since I was 10, and I'm gonna start soon so these help. Just wondering, could you post a video showing what a travel day might look like?
What annoyed me was when I took pictures with superheroes, their sign said tips welcomed , so I gave them the 3 singles I had, but they harassed me because it was $3 for 4 people, and the CD guys practically begged us to take a "free CD" of there rap album, and when we didn't give them a tip they took it back
You're right, I bought a New York Yankee ticket off the street, so I get to Yankee Stadium & the tickets were for a broadway show of Cats from 2weeks ago 😤
Seems like no one mentions that when you have the CD guys, fake monks or photo scams,etc. just tell them “sorry I’m not carrying any cash” and that should work and they’ll leave you alone. When I have panhandlers come up to me I just say I don’t have any cash and they walk away!
One of the scams I fell for as a non-tourist who would do touristy things just because I liked to from time to time, but those tourist buses can be a problem. One time I got on one and was hoping to go downtown, back up to Midtown and then up to Grant's Tomb and the bus got back to Midtown and it just sat on 59th Street for over 1.5 hours. Gave up on it. Best deal is the Circle Line all the way around the island.
How do authorities allow stores to put "out of business" signs ? In Portugal even sales season is regulated, I mean, they are stores with staff and managers, not a Joe in the street than can disapear around the corner
In Chicago, there was a gift and electronics store that was GOING OUT OF BUSINESS from the early 60s until they tore the building down in the late 90s.
I lived in NYC for five years. The biggest scam I kept running into were women wearing hijabs showing me photos of their children and saying they needed money because the children were hungry. The first time I believed her but after being approached multiple times by different women with the same exact photos and same line I realized it was a religious scam.
When I went to nyc the one thing the tour told us not to do was buy from pawn shops or cheap electronics shops. They usually are ether knock offs, broken, overpriced or stolen. Someone I knew got a new phone that trip when they got to the border it was confiscated for being stolen property
I live in NY, and I've had an $8 pretzel. Sometimes you just really want a pretzel, and you dont feel like arguing (plus a vendors license is very expensive, so sometimes I feel bad)
I have definitely seen the cosplayers asking for a fee for a photo. Perhaps not a scam but I have also seen panhandlers on the subway trains. Anything that requires me to take my wallet out in a subway or on the street is not a good idea.
Another scam is the seemingly desperate person whose car ran out of gas and they just need a couple of bucks to fill up their tank. If they're good, they'll stand near a gas station, which is hard to find in the city, especially Manhattan.
I once had a fake monk approach me with a bracelet when I was around 12 or so, while I was with my mother, travelling in Manhattan. She was able to sense the scam and she dragged me away from him.
When i was in San Fran with my dad and brother at the docks, there was a CD scammer that told us he was a famous artist playing around the globe and even in my home country. The whole situation got so hasty when my family started walking away and I ended up falling for the scam. It gave me a eye opener to how fast things can get out of hand. To my defense I was basically blackmailed and young. It's a lesson I will never forget
As a native New Yorker I can one hundred percent confirm everything Mark has said in this video. The CD guys are the worst the absolute worst!!!} Also if you really want Broadway tickets use the TKTS booth. And also and I’ve said this many comments, this is not a scam alert, but just be very very wary of the subway. Just for safety reasons, always be aware of your surroundings.
The religious ones are my favorite! "We just want you to know that God has special plans for you!" Then they try to shove the pamphlets in your face. A classic Times Square station thing.
I had an experience that someone kept chasing me for fake charity donation in London, I insisted not to donate, after few minutes, that person finally gave up.
An extension of the CD scam is that they will ask if you are interested in listening to their demo CD. You say okay and take it and then they ask to be paid. If you say, 'hey I thought this was free,' they will angrily take back the CD 😅
They have C D hawks and other scammers in Memphis also..When I visited Memphis they come up and aggressively hustle you to donate to youth sports teams
as a nyc native ive def encountered the bump scam before. dude bumped into me and dropped his food expecting me to pay lmao. i laughed and walked away 🤣
AAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! I got hit with the hotdog thing a few years ago. I told the guy, after he wanted to charge me $12, "Yyyyyyyyyeaaah, I'm not doing that." "But this is your hotdog! You have to pay for it!" "Well.....!!! I'm not. You can keep it. I didn't touch it, my germs aren't on it, it's still yours, save it for the next jabroni." "J-....jabroni? You're from Philadelphia???" (I'm not, but if it makes me look like a tough guy, then okay!) "Yeah! Whaddabouddit?" "Sorry! Sorry!! You can have it for free!"
WOW,I'm a New Yorker and didn't know some of those scams; I guess because I live in an outer borough and only go into Manhattan for appointments and walk deliberately with purpose.
That's an awfully long name for a business though: "Going out of business! Everything must go...nothing held back!" I can't imagine how annoying the paperwork will be. Haha
When I was in the bus station someone offered to help me point out which bus I should go to, and I was wondering why he was doing this. And then he asked for money afterwards lol, which I had a feeling was going to happen. I just said no and walked away.
ATM has been an issue in more places than NYC. You could have a Citibank account, using a Chase Manhattan ATM charges you a fee for example. Metrocard is supposed to get phased out for OMNY long term.
Taxis should be forced to charge a fixed rate per trip, like buses. Here in Buenos Aires some taxi drivers also use to do that same act of driving a longer way than needed.
So many good scams noted in this video. Some of these scam artists are so pushy, don't even acknowledge them. Another reason why I do not like visiting NYC (I am former New Yorker).
Last time I was there last summer one thing I noticed was a looootta people selling ice cold water for $1. Of course, you're paying a huge price for a bottle water, but then again, you are paying for the convenience of getting a really cold drink on a hot day. So if you don't mind, then go for it.
Those guys are OK especially on a hot day. Same with the piragua and churro ladies on the subway. ALSO, if you golf - there is a guy who sells baggies of secondhand golf balls thru a hole in the fence at van cortland.
2:07 some people even use food that’s just gross and let’s say you don’t do nothing. You’re just see them picking it up back up and put it back in their bucket, which is to prove they u never really did dump it
The CD scam! In 2012 my graduating class went to NYC and on the last day we were there my sister and an ex-friend had the CD scam happen to them (The ex-friend kept talking to them so that was a problem. My sis probably wouldn't have talked with them if he was not there). The scammers took money out of my sis's hand and ex-friends wallet without their consent and because they were so confused they walked away. Our ex-friend then LEFT MY SISTER by herself on a random street to go back and confront the scammers. He got the money back (a bit more than what they took shockingly) but after he did that and some choice things he said a few years later he became someone we don't associate with anymore.
I think it is a scam when NYC locals tell you to not to get into an empty subway car. I know the NYC locals say there is a reason the subway train car is empty, but I do not listen to them when they say that. I have been in plenty of empty subway cars in NYC, and I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in those empty subway cars.
Usually there is a homeless person in there that smells really bad. Or pooped themselves. It smells the entire car. Like badly. So you were in luck it was actually empty and didn't smell. I still wouldn't sit in an empty subway car. It could be potentially dangerous for a woman.
New Yorkers mind their own business. Be wary of overly helpful people. Usually around public transportation areas. Some will try to hold doors at subway entrances or try to carry your bags up or down the stairs at Penn Station. If you want to give people some money, give them to the people trying to entertain you. Don't be afraid to talk back to people in New York, it's just the way it is.
They don't use cd's anymore. The have printed papers with their "album" art on it. And to listen to the "music" there's a Qr code to scan. I got 1 but i'll never scan the Qr, who knows what scan page it leads to.
When I arrived by train, I was waiting for a taxi like any other did. while I was waiting in the long queue. I man parked in a Town car in front of us and asked if any wanted a ride and asked where we had to go. I was the only person who answered which was to lower Manhatten world trade center area. He claimed that he was an Uber, even though there were no signs on the car that indicated it. It was first when I sat in the car I realised it was stupid what I was doing an sent my sister an SMS saying that I was in a fake cape, I had no idea if was taken to a bad place and being robbed. He took me to the right place but the trip was expensive. I told the hotel when I arrived and they just looked at me and said welcome to New York. My sister answered me later and said it was very typical in the argument that it was typical for New York.
It's been a few years since I was last in NYC. One thing scammers love to take advantage of is our natural instinct to be polite. Learn to say "no" and walk away. Be as firm as needed. The "NO" is internationally recognized.
BINGO. Even a politely worded "no thank you" is too much engagement frankly.
Just keep walking.
I find pretending you don't hear them and continuing to walk briskly away usually works as well!
As a non-scamming NYer, even I can spot tourists a mile a way, so try to blend as much as possible! I only say this because scammers can spot easy prey. Also, regular NYers LOVE to give advice (directions; which subway to take; etc.), so don't be afraid to ask questions to ho hum people waiting for the subway or bus. We've got you covered if you ask. Scammers will approach you first, unsolicited.
Great tips! Are there any NY specific tips for blending in?
@@tashisalwayshere Ha, ha, I can only give the same advice I follow myself when traveling to other places: wear plain clothes, the darker the better; try to keep your voice low when out and about because perps and scammers can pick up on those accents; keep your expensive jewelry at home; try to keep your wallet in a safe place when you're out on the street and keep some random bills in your pocket so you don't have to take out your wallet. Sometimes the homeless will approach you while you're waiting for a train, etc., and I found the best policy, in order to avoid conflict, is to just have a few coins or a dollar on you (never take out your wallet). I know it probably sounds ridiculous but you constantly need to be aware of your surroundings. I know it's exciting and fun to visit places and people often get caught up in the excitement. Remain chill and have a great time. :)
@@tashisalwayshere Yes, don't look up at all the building with a camera around your neck. And only ask people for directions who don't look psycho. And don't wear expensive jewelry and no cowboy hats...no New Yorker would ever wear a cowboy hat walking around ever, or cowboy boots. Just walk around like you've lived here forever and you'll be perfectly fine. Also, when you're in Times Sq dont be impressed with any crazy shit happening in the streets...walk on by like we do.
Many NY'ers usually wear dark clothes and never wear " I Love NY " or other similar verbiage clothing.
Another New Yorker. Totally agree.
5th generation New Yorker here.
Best tip I can give to blend in and not stick out as a tourist: If you hear a loud yell, scream, bang, whistle or any other distracting noise (especially from a fellow human)
don't stop and look. Don't even turn your head to be curious. New Yorkers don't care as this is the natural wildlife background noise or "soundtrack" to the city.
Just look straight ahead and keep it moving, you will be just fine. 😁
💯 💯 facts!!😂
thank you
Nothing to see here keep moving... LOL
I mean...isn't ignoring someone who needs help (or might need help) objectively awful? I dunno, this tip doesn't sit well with me. I don't mind turning my head to check - as a young female, I need to be aware of my surroundings anyways. If it's a nothing burger, I keep on stepping. And I traveled to NYC regularly, never had any trouble.
I just returned from a 1-week trip to NY and fortunately I didn’t encounter any of these scams. (Although I did see fake monks preparing to start their business). However, a huge signboard advertising “$1 slice of pizza” caught my eye and I thought that was a good deal. I ordered one slice to go but was surprised it wasn’t $1! All because I failed to notice the fine print that said “applicable only for 2nd purchase”. 😂
Those $1 pizza places were legit and a way to eat cheap !
However, with inflation, most if not all places, are now charging more.
Some have not changed their signage .
The " small print " twist is a new one.
The food cart pricing is a real issue. It's not targeted at tourists but EVERYONE. An important rule, no matter where you are, always know the price before you make a purchase.
amen to that!
If you’re in a touristy area and you ask how much is a water bottle and they say $4, if you say that you only have $2 on you, they’ll usually accept that. That might help.
NYC resident here. All accurate. Good advice.
Hi Mark, great video. I think before anyone travels they should watch your videos. Very informative. You saved me some hassle in Paris. Scams everywhere. This guy tried to tie a string around my finger. I kept saying no thanks. Then he grabs my arm and get aggressive. I pulled my hand away, told him to F off. Finally he left me alone. My tip is to avoid eye contact and if you do, keep walking and ignore them. As always have a good one eh!😁🇨🇦
We had that in Milan and Rome last summer. Super aggressive and then they started yelling at us for not letting them tie something onto my kid. It was bad.
As soon as I arrived in NYC and tried to purchase a metro card, some local came up to me and my husband and was trying to show us how to buy a card. We were perfectly capable of this, but he was walking up to the machine with us. Had to tell him to get lost, and watched him do it to the next. Assuming he was going to ask to be tipped
Now you don't even need a MetroCard. You can just use your phone with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to enter the Subway system. You can also use a debit or credit card if it has that contactless symbol on it. Also, if you use the same payment method at least 12 times between Monday and Sunday, all rides from the 13th on are free.
Good Morning, Mark, great info, while my husband and I know we were in NYC a few years @ Times Square the CD GUYs were really rude to me even when I tried to avoid them. They said I had to purchase there CD even when I wasn’t even near there set up. When I refused they insulted me. After that experience I avoided Times Square, been there done that. Fortunately, I knew what I was getting into when from watching Here be Barr and Sarah Funk before visiting NYC.
Times Square is both a must-see of course, and also simultaneously the worst place in NYC.
Thank you so much, Wolter, I knew of scams like 'the pigeon drop' or the 'you stepped on my Art, now pay me' scams, but you showed many more I'd never heard of.
glad to help
Thank you, thank you, thank you as a New Yorker I always try to help tourist and guide them about scans. Look for vendors with posted prices, make sure they are wearing/changing gloves, I advise them to be aware of yellow cabs traveling the "long way" and tipping. You hit the huge NYC scams on the head. I hope travellers/tourist watch this. Also when asking for direction ask at least 3 different people to make sure you got the right information. Be leary, stay alert (especially at night) if someone wants to show/take you to your destination.
Thank you Jules. I love new york and want other travelers to love ot too. So if I can help with the tips I'm glad to do it. Good tip with the ask 3 people. Good to triangulation the actual way 😀
This is so helpful. Thank you for making it. Such a shame that it seems everywhere we turn someone wants to deceive visitors…
it has gotten a lot better in New York though
Flying to NY next week, first time in over 10 years and on my own. Thanks for the tip
Great video. One scam I see constantly are Times Square people asking people if they want to see a free comedy show. I’ve heard about a few tourists who were curious enough to follow them and end up at a bar being pressured to buy overpriced drinks while a comedian is technically performing on a stage in the same room.
I had a taxi scam in Toronto a few years ago where the driver was circling the same blocks over and over and then I demanded to just be dropped off somewhere close to my destination 😂 always have your own maps open on your phone when going somewhere and make sure any driver is legit is such a good tip!
This why, when at home, or traveling, I use Uber (or other ride-share apps) instead of taxis. Taxis have an incentive to take longer routes, and with ride share apps, their incentive is to get you to your destination as quickly as possible. Also, I usually find the ride share cars to be better maintained, and the drivers more polite (compared to taxis), likely because they know they will be rated by the rider, and their ratings are very important in order to continue to work. I don't like supporting big corporations like Uber that often screw their drivers, but taxi drivers try to screw customers so often that I just avoid them when possible.
Yup. I stopped in Nimes France on my way to Paris and the taxi driver took us thr long way. I was thinking thr hotel was supposed to be 10 mins away. It took 30 mins. No traffic. The morning after the concert we took a cab back to the train station. It took 10 mins. With some traffic.
I'm from Toronto and the cab drivers will try to rip you off if you let them. You can be a resident or a tourist. On the rare times I use a cab, I say "go west on Queen Street and turn right when I tell you." They always obey.
Another addition to the photo scam: If you want to take a picture with one character, a second character will join the photo so that you have to pay both.
I’ve seen it happen 😂
THANK YOU FOR VERY GOOD ADVICE .
Guess what Mark! Terry & I were travelling in NY with another couple, Kay & Rod. We girls were walking ahead of the boys & some CD scammers came up to us & we said, 'no thanks' & kept on walking, turned around & here are Terry & Rod buying a CD. Kay & I just laughed & said, 'you two have just been taken for a ride'. We did not let them forget it & laughed the whole time we were in NY & after. We were in NY for 2 weeks & loved it.
Yep, nailed it!
Thanks Jon! Obviously the other comment was spam. This one is actually me :)
I had the monk scam, guy walked towards me so I just mouthed "F-off" and he avoided me. Hotdogs seemed to be $5 a pop, which shocked me. I saw loads of people getting scammed by the Times Square characters. They tried to jump into my frame when taking photos, so I just gave them the middle finger when they tried playing stupid games. Loads of sketchy guys pretending to be Uber and offering "private lifts" outside JFK, I was waiting for a Carmel car that I had booked and waiting 20 mins for it I must have been approached at least a dozen times. I kept saying no but it made no difference. So I just blanked them in the end.
Thank You Mark. Im from NYC and you hit all the Scams to look out for
The other Scam unless you know what you’re really getting is the “Luxury Bag” sellers on the Sidewalks
Good Point!! I wish other You Tubers would point this very same thing as well!!
oh yes. i think i have some video in here on those :)
As a veteran tourist in New York, my favorite City (even though l have an 11-hour flight to get there), l have never come across any of these scams. l did once encounter a man offering two free tickets to the Circle Line cruise. l took them, giving one to an Asian lady, and when my turn came to get aboard, l showed the ticket to the collector, and she said it was valid.
I've had quite a few sadly but got out of all of them except for a hit dog or two :)
Thank you, Mark!! When I traveled New York and Los Angeles, I experienced some of scams you mentioned. Those scams are real and it is good to know in advance! Especially anyone from non English speaking countries.
sorry you had to deal with them
That was a *beautiful* British accent at 8:10 BTW!!
I've never been to NYC (never been to the US even) but it's one of the very few places in the US I'd like to visit one day. And so many of these scams are things to be aware of in any major city - I used to visit London regularly (I'm from the southeast of England) and so many of these are reminiscent of things to watch out for there.
Enjoy your videos, Mark! Some great information in this video. Last May I had three guys surround me in front of the M&M's store in Times Square trying to "give" me their CD and then asking for a donation. I politely declined and carried on, but definitely a common tactic used in NYC. Who uses CDs regularly still anyhow? lol
exactly! though i did have a guy ask me to give him money on venmo
It's a scam that's like 20 years old at this point, and they haven't updated it because it still works. The CD is almost incidental. They surround you in a group so it feels like a mugging, and you give them $$ just to get away.
Great information as always. I live in NewYork and everything you explain is so true, that hurts sometimes.
Thank you Carolina
I live in NYC and one day I decided to be a tourist so I got an I ❤️ NY t shirt and a selfie stick and headed to Times Square to see how many scammers approached me. It was almost immediately. There were the CD guys and the monks and the characters I pretended to buy into their scam but then never gave them money and they get aggressive. I went on a circle line, tour, bus, and then a circle line tour boat. And I actually enjoyed it. I enjoyed being a tourist in my own city. Other than getting heckled by scammers. But the bus ride and the boat I learned a lot about New York City that I’ve never known before. If you have never been a Tourist in your own city, I highly recommend it.
Awesome video and great tips
Glad you enjoyed!
Conveniently places ATMs get me every time! Great video!
Yep :)
These are great tips. I think that there are versions of some of these in every city - I've seen the going out of business in Vancouver, Calgary etc. But ya - some are great and are good to know for your personal safety.
yep, i have made videos on scams that are for general scams to know and no one watches them. When I make them on cities then people watch, so got to find ways to help out fellow travelers the most
@@woltersworld Would love to visit NY. However, what would happen if someone were to steal all my money? Yikes, what would l do?
Hi Mr Wolters, I just want to say that I enjoy your channel.
I'm a local New Yorker & everything that you stated
about visiting this city the
precautions are correct.
Especially the CD hawkers&
hot dog vendors- they are
ridiculous with their prices.
One other scam are those
sightseeing bus tours.
You have to wait for the bus
which usually in traffic & some tourist don't have time
to wait. Great. Thanks Nelson
Thanks!
I do find sightseeing bus tours good when you are tired of walking or taking underground transport and still want to get around. But need to rest a little. I did that in London cos I noticed how tired I was from always on the go in other cities I vacationed in. I also bud in time to rest. Even nap. Cos I've missed out on pre bought activities cos I burnt myself out during the day..or literally slept through early morning ones.
Great video! Thank you!
thanks Kim
One great tip to see the Statue of Liberty, if you do not want to actually pay to go ON the island.
You can ride the Staten Island ferry for FREE ! No ticket needed. It travels on it's journey, from downtown Manhattan, directly past Lady Liberty!
Ride on the right side of the ferry heading outbound from Manhattan and left side on return.
Once you arrive on the borough of Staten Island just jump on the next ferry heading back to Manhattan.
exactly!
Saying that once you get to Staten Island you should just get back on the ferry and leave is honestly the best assessment of Staten Island anyone can give.
But yes, you do get a nice view of the harbor, downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn from the SI ferry. I think they may be charging for tickets in the near future though, it's something that's come up recently now that the city is bouncing back from covid.
I hate the CD guys. I will always politely say no and just walk away when they try handing me a CD unsolicited, and then they usually will respond with something like, "Are you afraid of black people?" or something like that, trying to make you out to be some kind of racist because you didn't want their fake CDs. That stuff really pisses me off. I've encountered them on the Las Vegas Strip as well.
Oh, you don’t like black people?
No, I don’t like a hustler, so F*** off!
Thanks!! Good advice to anyone is traveling
thanks
There’s a scam that I remember happening to me on several occasions years ago before I left New York. A guy drives up to you and asks if you speak Italian. When you tell him no, he tells you that he’s a representative for Armani or Brioni and was in town for a fashion convention. He’s on his way to the airport and wants to offload the suits at a huge discount so he won’t have to pay the extra baggage fees or whatever. I always told them “no thanks,” and went on my way. But I’m guessing he’s just holding a bunch of cheap knockoff suits.
That happened to me in LA. They were hanging out in front of USC and trying this up and down the main boulevard fronting the university. I kept it moving. And looked it up later: It's a scam that is also common in Italy.
sounds like Mafia.
@@lawrencelewis2592 If that were the case, they would be real Italian suits that "fell off the truck."
@@serialcloneMore than likely. But for this price, you need to do a little favour for me...
I'm not even from NY, have never been to the US and yet I know to avoid times square at all costs
Hey Mark! Thanks for all these videos! I've wanted to travel abroad since I was 10, and I'm gonna start soon so these help.
Just wondering, could you post a video showing what a travel day might look like?
Hey Andrews, if you search "wolters world travel day" on youtube there is one of us going together to see how it is.
and this is my busines education channel that i was commenting from at first
@@ProfessorWolters thank you!
Oh man, the food trucks that dont post the prices, i really dislike that
We have some of the same scams here in the UK. But cheers for the advice. Will bear it in mind 😉
Great to know thank you
cheers
Don't forget to tour the alligator sanctuary in the sewers. Just $20!
What annoyed me was when I took pictures with superheroes, their sign said tips welcomed , so I gave them the 3 singles I had, but they harassed me because it was $3 for 4 people, and the CD guys practically begged us to take a "free CD" of there rap album, and when we didn't give them a tip they took it back
Great advice!👏👏
Thanks scott
You're right, I bought a New York Yankee ticket off the street, so I get to Yankee Stadium & the tickets were for a broadway show of Cats from 2weeks ago 😤
that sucks
You didn't read the ticket?!
Lol the going out of business thing I've seen in don't mess with the Zohan lol
If anyone approaches you in NYC, assume it's a scam and move on. 9/10 it is.
Seems like no one mentions that when you have the CD guys, fake monks or photo scams,etc. just tell them “sorry I’m not carrying any cash” and that should work and they’ll leave you alone. When I have panhandlers come up to me I just say I don’t have any cash and they walk away!
I can't believe you didn't mention that old NYC tradition: 3-Card Monte!
Great list of things to watch out for. Though to be fair, I’m sure versions of these exist in most big cities.
yep
The ones on Times Square trying to sell you their Cds are the worst.. Theyre just getting in your way, sometimes even outright touching you..
The donate to the army vets scam on time square man! Woah!
One of the scams I fell for as a non-tourist who would do touristy things just because I liked to from time to time, but those tourist buses can be a problem. One time I got on one and was hoping to go downtown, back up to Midtown and then up to Grant's Tomb and the bus got back to Midtown and it just sat on 59th Street for over 1.5 hours. Gave up on it. Best deal is the Circle Line all the way around the island.
How do authorities allow stores to put "out of business" signs ? In Portugal even sales season is regulated, I mean, they are stores with staff and managers, not a Joe in the street than can disapear around the corner
In Chicago, there was a gift and electronics store that was GOING OUT OF BUSINESS from the early 60s until they tore the building down in the late 90s.
i remember that one :)
These scams are a great place to unload some counterfeit money ;)
good call
Be there next week for my like 8th visit! Can’t wait!
Have fun!
I lived in NYC for five years. The biggest scam I kept running into were women wearing hijabs showing me photos of their children and saying they needed money because the children were hungry. The first time I believed her but after being approached multiple times by different women with the same exact photos and same line I realized it was a religious scam.
Just ran into the exact same thing in Brussels
That's universal it happens everywhere😂
You must have gotten a new camera, the picture in noticeably more high def. Also fancy new transitions. Love the videos!
We did. First new camera in 6 years or 10 years if i am honest as the one i got 6 years ago was the samemodel i had for four years before that :)
Regarding subway pick pockets. I had a friend that would wear his backpack under his coat 😂
When I went to nyc the one thing the tour told us not to do was buy from pawn shops or cheap electronics shops. They usually are ether knock offs, broken, overpriced or stolen. Someone I knew got a new phone that trip when they got to the border it was confiscated for being stolen property
“Sony Guts”
A $10 hotdog in NYC is propably not a scam.
I live in NY, and I've had an $8 pretzel. Sometimes you just really want a pretzel, and you dont feel like arguing (plus a vendors license is very expensive, so sometimes I feel bad)
I have definitely seen the cosplayers asking for a fee for a photo. Perhaps not a scam but I have also seen panhandlers on the subway trains. Anything that requires me to take my wallet out in a subway or on the street is not a good idea.
Another scam is the seemingly desperate person whose car ran out of gas and they just need a couple of bucks to fill up their tank. If they're good, they'll stand near a gas station, which is hard to find in the city, especially Manhattan.
I once had a fake monk approach me with a bracelet when I was around 12 or so, while I was with my mother, travelling in Manhattan. She was able to sense the scam and she dragged me away from him.
When i was in San Fran with my dad and brother at the docks, there was a CD scammer that told us he was a famous artist playing around the globe and even in my home country. The whole situation got so hasty when my family started walking away and I ended up falling for the scam.
It gave me a eye opener to how fast things can get out of hand. To my defense I was basically blackmailed and young. It's a lesson I will never forget
As a native New Yorker I can one hundred percent confirm everything Mark has said in this video. The CD guys are the worst the absolute worst!!!} Also if you really want Broadway tickets use the TKTS booth. And also and I’ve said this many comments, this is not a scam alert, but just be very very wary of the subway. Just for safety reasons, always be aware of your surroundings.
thank you Cynthia
Compact Disc hawks? 🤣😂🤣
i know right? I got one as a gift for Christmas and I honestly don't know where to play it. My car doesn't even have a cd player anymore.
These scams are common in most major cities across the U.S.
The religious ones are my favorite! "We just want you to know that God has special plans for you!" Then they try to shove the pamphlets in your face. A classic Times Square station thing.
I had an experience that someone kept chasing me for fake charity donation in London, I insisted not to donate, after few minutes, that person finally gave up.
An extension of the CD scam is that they will ask if you are interested in listening to their demo CD. You say okay and take it and then they ask to be paid. If you say, 'hey I thought this was free,' they will angrily take back the CD 😅
Yes the demo listening
They have C D hawks and other scammers in Memphis also..When I visited Memphis they come up and aggressively hustle you to donate to youth sports teams
as a nyc native ive def encountered the bump scam before. dude bumped into me and dropped his food expecting me to pay lmao. i laughed and walked away 🤣
AAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! I got hit with the hotdog thing a few years ago.
I told the guy, after he wanted to charge me $12, "Yyyyyyyyyeaaah, I'm not doing that."
"But this is your hotdog! You have to pay for it!"
"Well.....!!! I'm not. You can keep it. I didn't touch it, my germs aren't on it, it's still yours, save it for the next jabroni."
"J-....jabroni? You're from Philadelphia???"
(I'm not, but if it makes me look like a tough guy, then okay!) "Yeah! Whaddabouddit?"
"Sorry! Sorry!! You can have it for free!"
Glad i could bring back a good memory for you
WOW,I'm a New Yorker and didn't know some of those scams; I guess because I live in an outer borough and only go into Manhattan for appointments and walk deliberately with purpose.
i will be honest babs it has gotten a lot better from when I used to go there in my college days in terms of scams
That's an awfully long name for a business though: "Going out of business! Everything must go...nothing held back!" I can't imagine how annoying the paperwork will be. Haha
i think my hand would cramp
i woll never understand how someone can enjoy a hot dog from these stands... where there is literally an abundance of options that are more hygienic.
What’s the weather like in nyc this month? Do I need to wear a thick puffer jacket for nyc?
Honestly, check the day before you leave. It's been Spring weather here this month, but winter may yet still reemerge.
When I was in the bus station someone offered to help me point out which bus I should go to, and I was wondering why he was doing this. And then he asked for money afterwards lol, which I had a feeling was going to happen. I just said no and walked away.
you did the smart thing, Itachi.
It’s very true they love to go up on the cost of hotdogs
thats why i go simple on my hot dog :)
Thanks for the tips on Scams! But is there a way to get a cheaper price on Broadway for families?
Maybe Groupon
three card Monty and different menus for tourists
ATM has been an issue in more places than NYC. You could have a Citibank account, using a Chase Manhattan ATM charges you a fee for example.
Metrocard is supposed to get phased out for OMNY long term.
You forgot the classic NYC scam. If someone tries to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, don't buy it! It's not currently for sale.
It’s true
Taxis should be forced to charge a fixed rate per trip, like buses. Here in Buenos Aires some taxi drivers also use to do that same act of driving a longer way than needed.
How is that fair to the taxi driver?! One guy goes 5 minutes down the road the other 45 minutes to the airport! Same fare ...I don't think that works!
These are for any city, or town, or where people value money.
So many good scams noted in this video. Some of these scam artists are so pushy, don't even acknowledge them. Another reason why I do not like visiting NYC (I am former New Yorker).
exactly, just not acknowledging them and they move on to the next person
I don’t want to look at New York City on a post card !…
Most people fall for these scams because of the emotions that this big city gives)
Last time I was there last summer one thing I noticed was a looootta people selling ice cold water for $1. Of course, you're paying a huge price for a bottle water, but then again, you are paying for the convenience of getting a really cold drink on a hot day. So if you don't mind, then go for it.
In the stores they are like 3 to 5 dollars. Maybe 2 in an outer Boro.
@@lee6198 yeah, but the ones in stores at least claim that they're not just tap water.
Those guys are OK especially on a hot day. Same with the piragua and churro ladies on the subway. ALSO, if you golf - there is a guy who sells baggies of secondhand golf balls thru a hole in the fence at van cortland.
2:07 some people even use food that’s just gross and let’s say you don’t do nothing. You’re just see them picking it up back up and put it back in their bucket, which is to prove they u never really did dump it
I went to new york 2019 someone tried selling me blank cd.i didn't fall for it
The CD scam! In 2012 my graduating class went to NYC and on the last day we were there my sister and an ex-friend had the CD scam happen to them (The ex-friend kept talking to them so that was a problem. My sis probably wouldn't have talked with them if he was not there). The scammers took money out of my sis's hand and ex-friends wallet without their consent and because they were so confused they walked away. Our ex-friend then LEFT MY SISTER by herself on a random street to go back and confront the scammers. He got the money back (a bit more than what they took shockingly) but after he did that and some choice things he said a few years later he became someone we don't associate with anymore.
I think it is a scam when NYC locals tell you to not to get into an empty subway car. I know the NYC locals say there is a reason the subway train car is empty, but I do not listen to them when they say that. I have been in plenty of empty subway cars in NYC, and I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in those empty subway cars.
Its cause someone peed in there, or it smells like homeless person
Usually there is a homeless person in there that smells really bad. Or pooped themselves. It smells the entire car. Like badly. So you were in luck it was actually empty and didn't smell. I still wouldn't sit in an empty subway car. It could be potentially dangerous for a woman.
New Yorkers mind their own business. Be wary of overly helpful people. Usually around public transportation areas. Some will try to hold doors at subway entrances or try to carry your bags up or down the stairs at Penn Station. If you want to give people some money, give them to the people trying to entertain you. Don't be afraid to talk back to people in New York, it's just the way it is.
They don't use cd's anymore. The have printed papers with their "album" art on it. And to listen to the "music" there's a Qr code to scan. I got 1 but i'll never scan the Qr, who knows what scan page it leads to.
When I arrived by train, I was waiting for a taxi like any other did. while I was waiting in the long queue. I man parked in a Town car in front of us and asked if any wanted a ride and asked where we had to go. I was the only person who answered which was to lower Manhatten world trade center area. He claimed that he was an Uber, even though there were no signs on the car that indicated it.
It was first when I sat in the car I realised it was stupid what I was doing an sent my sister an SMS saying that I was in a fake cape, I had no idea if was taken to a bad place and being robbed.
He took me to the right place but the trip was expensive. I told the hotel when I arrived and they just looked at me and said welcome to New York. My sister answered me later and said it was very typical in the argument that it was typical for New York.