Is Chicago Safe in January 2026?

Coordinated teams operate on the CTA Red Line, on crowded L platforms, and in Millennium Park. One person creates a distraction while confederates pick pockets or lift bags. Activity peaks during Red Sox game days and major events.

How to avoid: Keep your phone in a front pocket or a zipped interior bag compartment. Be especially alert when someone creates any unexpected distraction near you. Do not place bags on overhead racks on the CTA.

Aggressively persistent charity solicitors work the Magnificent Mile between the Chicago River and Oak Street Beach, targeting pedestrians with clipboards and asking them to sign petitions. After securing a signature, they demand a cash donation and can become confrontational when declined, sometimes claiming the signatory has already "pledged" to donate. Similar operations run near Millennium Park and the Art Institute on Michigan Ave.

How to avoid: Do not stop for unsolicited clipboard approaches. If someone steps in front of you, say "no thank you" without slowing down. Never sign anything from a street solicitor, as a signature can be used as psychological leverage to extract a donation.

At O'Hare and Midway airports, individuals posing as taxi or rideshare drivers approach arriving passengers offering rides. They charge flat rates far above metered fares — sometimes 3–5x the legitimate cost. Drivers may claim the rideshare app is down to pressure cash deals.

How to avoid: Only use the official taxi queue or designated rideshare pickup zones. Never accept rides from people who approach you inside the terminal. Verify the license plate, driver photo, and car model in your rideshare app before entering any vehicle.

Around Wrigley Field on game days and near United Center before Blackhawks and Bulls games, scalpers sell counterfeit or already-used tickets to tourists and out-of-town fans. The fakes are increasingly convincing — printed with correct barcodes that only fail at the gate scanner. Victims are left outside the venue with no recourse after paying $50–$300 per ticket.

How to avoid: Purchase tickets only from the official team box office, StubHub, or SeatGeek with buyer guarantees. Never buy from street sellers outside the stadium, even if the price seems fair. Ask the seller to scan the ticket in their own Ticketmaster app before handing over cash.

Organized groups around the Loop and Michigan Avenue approach tourists with clipboards asking them to sign petitions. After signing, they pressure victims for cash donations or use the distraction to pickpocket wallets and phones.

How to avoid: Decline to stop for clipboard solicitors entirely. Keep bags zipped and in front of your body in crowded pedestrian areas.