New York Scams to Avoid in 2026 (USA)
New York City tourists face the three-card monte shell game near Times Square, fake Buddhist monks giving unsolicited bracelets for money, CD rap scams, and taxi drivers taking longer routes.
Street Scams scams are the most documented risk in New York — 7 of 10 reported incidents fall in this category. See all 7 →
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Last updated: April 2, 2026
Three-Card Monte Street Hustle
Operators run a shell game on folding tables near tourist-heavy areas like Times Square and Midtown. Shills in the crowd pretend to win to lure tourists into betting. The dealer controls the outcome and tourists never win once real money is on the table.
📍Side streets off Times Square on W 44th and W 45th Streets, near Penn Station on 7th Ave, and occasionally near the entrance to Central Park on W 59th St at Columbus Circle
How to avoid: Never stop to watch or participate in street card or shell games. These are illegal gambling operations and tourists always lose. Walk away immediately even if someone nearby appears to be winning.
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New York · USA · North America
Open map →📍Where These Scams Are Most Active in New York
Specific areas and landmarks with the highest concentration of documented incidents.
Three-Card Monte Street Hustle
Side streets off Times Square on W 44th and W 45th Streets, near Penn Station on 7th Ave, and occasionally near the entrance to Central Park on W 59th St at Columbus Circle
Overpriced Broadway Ticket Scalping
Outside Broadway theaters along W 44th and W 45th Streets in the Theater District, the sidewalk near the Shubert Theatre at 225 W 44th St, and the Richard Rodgers Theatre at 226 W 46th St on nights of high-demand performances
Unsolicited CD Hustle
Times Square pedestrian plazas on Broadway between W 42nd and W 47th Streets, outside the Empire State Building on W 34th St, and near Penn Station on 7th Ave and W 33rd St
Fake Charity Clipboard Solicitation
Times Square on Broadway between W 42nd and W 47th Streets, near Grand Central Terminal on E 42nd St, outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Ave at E 82nd St, and the High Line park entrance at W 16th St
Times Square Character Photo Scam
Times Square on the pedestrian plazas at Broadway and 7th Ave between W 42nd and W 46th Streets, particularly the TKTS booth area and the Duffy Square pedestrian island
Taxi Meter Manipulation
JFK International Airport taxi queue on the Van Wyck Expressway side, LaGuardia Airport taxi stand, and yellow cabs hailed on major Midtown Manhattan tourist corridors including 5th Ave, 42nd St, and near Penn Station
These areas are safe to visit — knowing the setups in advance makes them far easier to recognize and avoid.
Street-level scams are most common in New York
7 documented street scams target tourists near major attractions. Unsolicited approaches, "free" gifts, and distraction techniques are the main patterns — confidence and pace help.
How it works
Operators run a shell game on folding tables near tourist-heavy areas like Times Square and Midtown. Shills in the crowd pretend to win to lure tourists into betting. The dealer controls the outcome and tourists never win once real money is on the table.
How it works
Unlicensed ticket touts near Broadway theaters approach tourists offering "great seats" to sold-out shows at inflated prices. Tickets may be counterfeit, for wrong dates, or obstructed-view seats misrepresented as premium. Prices can be 3-5x face value.
How it works
Street performers near Times Square and popular tourist spots approach tourists claiming to be up-and-coming musicians, hand them a free CD, then aggressively demand $20-$40 in payment and refuse to take the CD back. They may follow or block your path if you try to leave.
How it works
Individuals with official-looking clipboards and vests approach tourists near major attractions claiming to collect donations for deaf children, homeless veterans, or disaster relief. The organizations are fake and the money goes directly to the solicitor.
How it works
Costumed characters (Elmo, Spiderman, Minnie Mouse) near Times Square insist on photos with tourists, then demand $20–40 per person per character when multiple characters surround the group. Aggressive tactics are used when tourists refuse.
How it works
Some unlicensed or unscrupulous taxi drivers set their meters to a higher rate (Rate 2, intended for outside NYC) when picking up tourists in Manhattan. Others take unnecessarily long routes to inflate the fare, particularly from JFK airport.
How it works
The classic shell game is run near Times Square and Penn Station with shills winning to attract tourists. The game is entirely rigged through sleight of hand. Tourists who think they've spotted the winning card consistently lose.
How it works
Men near Times Square and near the Apollo Theater in Harlem hand tourists a CD claiming it is a free gift from their music group. Once accepted, they demand $10–30 for the "free" album and become aggressive when refused.
How it works
Men in saffron robes near Times Square, Grand Central, and Central Park hand tourists small medallions, cards, or beads, then show donation books with amounts of $20–100. They do not leave until paid.
How it works
Restaurants in the Times Square corridor charge some of the highest menu prices in New York, but a subset of establishments also layer on undisclosed cover charges, mandatory "bread service" fees, or inflated prices for bottled water and soft drinks that are not clearly shown on the menu. Bills may include an automatic gratuity of 18–25% applied before the tip line is shown, leading tourists to inadvertently double-tip.
New York Safety — Frequently Asked Questions
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Filter scams in New York by category, or read our worldwide guides for each scam type — taxi scams, street scams, restaurant scams, and more.
If you're visiting more than one destination
Similar scam patterns are active across the North America region. Before visiting New Orleans, Tulum, and Boston, review each city's guide — tactics vary and local setups differ even for the same scam type.
Editorial note: Scam warnings for New York are compiled from government travel advisories (US State Dept, UK FCDO, Australian DFAT), verified news sources, travel community reports, and traveler-submitted incidents. All entries are reviewed for accuracy and local specificity before publication. Read our full methodology →