Question 1

What is the "Alcatraz Ticket Resellers" scam in San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

Touts near Pier 33 sell Alcatraz tour tickets claiming the official ferry is sold out. Tickets may be counterfeit, for wrong dates, or valid tickets being resold at a 50-100% markup. The official ferry does sell out weeks in advance, making tourists vulnerable to this pressure. Book Alcatraz tickets weeks in advance directly through the official Alcatraz City Cruises website. If you arrive and tickets are sold out, do not buy from street resellers. Check the official site for any released same-day availability early in the morning.

Question 2

What is the "Overpriced Cable Car Tour Impostors" scam in San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

Unofficial "tour guides" near the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable car turntables at Powell and Market Street sell what they present as bundled cable car passes or guided tour packages. The passes are either counterfeit or are the same Muni day passes available at the standard price at the official Muni kiosk nearby. Tourists pay two to three times the real price believing they are getting a special access package. Purchase Muni Visitor Passports at the official SF Visitor Information Center on Market St at Powell, or from the Muni Metro machines inside the Powell BART/Muni station. The Powell St cable car turntable has a proper ticket booth — use it. No intermediary is authorized to sell bundled cable car passes on the street.

Tour & Activity Scams in San Francisco

Alcatraz Ticket Resellers

Overpriced Cable Car Tour Impostors

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