NYC's BIGGEST Scams, Rip-Offs, and Tourist Traps in 2024 (Times Square and More!)

We'll share 15 New York City Scams, Rip-Offs and Tourist Traps to Avoid in 2024 in Times Square and Beyond!

✔️ SUBSCRIBE NOW! DON’T FORGET! The more the merrier! :)

CONNECT-
✅ FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK: @HereBeBarr

New York City Scams and Rip-Off Chapter List:
00:00- Intro
00:18- 1) The Fake Monk Scam
00:43- 2) The CD Guys
01:17- Bonus: Tipping Street Performers
01:58- 3) Costume Characters
02:30- 4) NYC Hotel Resort Fees
03:13- 5) ATM Scam
04:01- 6) The Candy Selling Scam
04:43- 7) Hop-On and Hop-Off Rip-Off?
05:14- 8) Pedicab Rip-Offs
05:38- 9) Broadway Ticket Rip-Offs
06:41- 10) Street Food Scam
07:05- 11) Baggage Tip Hustle
07:46- 12) "Stranded" Local Scam
08:15- 13) The "Drop" Scam
08:48- 14) NYC Airport Pick-Up Scams
09:23- 15) Staten Island Ferry Scam/Battery Park Rip-Off

👋 Shout out to our Highline and Higher Members:
ActionKid , Chelsea Prince, Robin Palmer, Gerome L David, Susie Okimoto, Colten Jordan, Todd Stilphen, Pittsburgh Living, Jennifer Goff, Aimey Tunthasuwatana, Adam Wood, Joe Mann, Mihael Kašnar, Cole, Kevin Lippes, JJ, Martin Hannis, Tom Shaner, and Joe Sutton.

🎥 My Equipment:
(Support this channel, by buying through these affiliate links)

"More About Here Be Barr"
I'm Jon Barr, an ex-sportscaster turned travel vlogger. If you're looking for waste no-time ,incredibly informative videos loaded with useful travel tips, you've come to the right place! My vlogs are made for the savvy traveler. Subscribe to learn all of my travel tips, tricks, and secrets that have helped me visit 33 countries. Based out of NYC but always on the go.

[HereBeBarr]

✔ Scroll back up and smash that like button if you learned something new!

[barneyfyfe]

I've worked in NYC for decades. My advice... do not acknowledge the existence of any stranger who approaches you in NYC. Ignore them. They don't need to know what time it is and they don't need a moment of your time. Rude? Maybe, but that's what we do here.

[aedanokelly]

All New Yorkers know to mind our own business, no matter what. That’s where the whole stereotype of New Yorkers being rude comes from, we’re not being rude, we’re being street smart. Engaging with strangers is how you get into problems.

[alexanderblack]

It’s high time the NYPD started cracking down on these pesky scam artists! Tourists do not expect to be harassed by strangers for money.

[Deadseelife]

Allow me to sum up this entire video from someone who has worked in the building in Times Square for 19 years.
Do not speak to ANYONE AT ALL in Times Square that asks you any question at all. If they ask you the time…keep walking and yell it to them from 20 feet away. Period. Don’t take ANYTHING from anyone. Not a piece of paper…not a cd…not a bracelet. Nothing. Hold your hand up and say no thanks or nothing at all. They are used to 95% of people ignoring them every day. They won’t get mad. Have fun.

[CommercialBreak]

I'm not a tourist, I live in NYC and this if VERY informative. Anyone visiting NYC needs to watch this. Great job, man.

[Rat_King_Reviews]

Great video Barr! ❤.
Also everyone be aware:

Street Charcoal caricature artists.

We met one while waiting on ferry to liberty island and guy came over asking if myself and my wife would like a caricature drawing done so I asked how much and how long and he told us 10mins and $5 so I agreed and he sat us down and began making a very poor rubbish looking charcoal drawing of us both and finished and then began demanding $45 for the drawing and for a little cardboard frame so it didn't smudge.... I refused saying no you told us $5 and then guy began getting aggressive shouting roaring waving arms about giving us abuse loudly until a police officer actually heard him walked over and told the guy to basically get lost.

So that's another one to be aware of.

[krnxwolf]

The CD guys are aggressive as hell. One tried to shove a CD into my pocket as I was walking by and it fell out onto the floor and he made a scene that I threw his CD on the floor. He fake motioned to someone else to "GET HIM" (me) but it was just a scare tactic, just keep walking.

[arznasun]

I’m so glad you updated this!
My family of 5 was in NYC last week for 1st trip (watched a ton of your vids prior) We saw the monks, aggressive costume characters & many MANY unmarked food vendors first hand but knowledge is power and we had a great trip w no issues! Even enjoyed the new Museum of Natural History addition! Thanks for all you do!
Can’t wait to come back!

[Swinefeld]

Avoid Times Square as much as possible. If you’ve never seen it, go there for a short time and then leave quickly.

[staticbuilds]

Basically if anyone talks to you it’s a scam. No one there is friendly unless they are planning on taking everything from you

[andrew_cole]

From one NYC tourist to possibly another.. if *anyone* approaches you for any reason, 98% of the time you should just walk/ignore them — especially if you’re preoccupied and have your guard down(ex. getting money from ATM). I was on times square and got approached at least half a dozen times a day, but kept on walking. never got scammed once.

[AntonWongVideo]

Haha, half of this video sounds like "avoid Times Square and possibly all of Midtown if you can help it" which sounds like a plan to me! haha

[maril]

Do not give your money to anybody let alone your phone .
If someone offers to take your bag they may literally take your bag.
Just run off whth your bag !

[jmcJ]

I'm a New Yorker and the dropped food scam happened to me in midtown a few years ago. Only it wasn't food, it was his glasses. Guy looked a bit cracked out, dressed sloppy and overall was shady. What happened was he intentionally bumped into me, and I tried to avoid him. I pick his glasses up which are cracked, give it to him and ask him if he's good. For a second, I thought he was drunk or on drugs. He starts to ramble how I broke his glasses to give him money and all that. I go no you bumped into me. Take your shit and move on I know what you're trying to do. I even said do not follow me or you're gonna have a bad day. You just need to keep walking and limit the interaction like it's stated in this vid. Even gullible New Yorkers can fall for this stuff.

[edprior]

We visited NYC pre-covid, and I can hardly wait to go back. We heard so much about how NYC is full of scams that we were quite paranoid when we were offered help with our luggage to get up a few stairs in a subway station, but people were genuinely friendly and helpful. The only scam we ran into is the an offer of discount tickets to the Staten Island Ferry.
The advice I would give to people is keep your wits about you, but don't assume that every New Yorker is out to rip you off. There are some truly wonderful people there.

[Duckkis]

I've never been to New York, and so far my experiences are limited to countless YouTube videos, video games and movies. And articles on the internet. But despite never having physically been there, I've developed a deep love for the city over the years and I would really like to go there one day. I found your channel just yesterday and since then I've made it my mission to start watching the New York videos. So far I've had a really good time with them and even learned a few new things. Major kudos to you.

[NYCHotDogStands]

Great content brother! I can confirm #10. Check for pricing first! I saw a woman pay $20 for a hot dog last week.

[julesonfoot]

To add on to the clip about the performers that flip over volunteers. In Central Park, they’ll line up these volunteers during a cool stunt show. They’ll pass around the tip bag (it’s usually a very big audience) and tell the onlookers that if they collect enough tips and have a good dollar amount then they’ll follow through with the trick. After the tips are collected, they let you know it’s not enough and the audience then does not get their “grand finale”. This happens every time! They take your tips and make the crowd disperse. Another tip from a New Yorker. Greetings from NYC!

[mattblom]

This is super useful! Awesome information. I got caught as a Canadian tourist in Seattle a few years ago. Great service in my hotel but whacked over the head with an amenities fee, tourism surcharge, and a massive charge for daily parking which was valet-only (though the hotel was just a four star hotel...Nothing special).