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Here is a situation I encountered multiple times in New York City streets, lately.

Usually at a sidewalk corner where people are likely to wait for the pedestrian crossing "walk" signal, a gang of two, three, four people are present. One of them hands a CD in a plastic pocket, supposedly a pre-release brand new rap album of the guy. The way he wants you to take the CD is rather aggressive. Another man of the gang does the same thing, even asking for your name and writing it on the plastic pocket. They even give you extra CDs, makes no sense!

The trouble comes when they all start asking for money, talking about a donation. It begins by $1, $5... and it seems very difficult to say no as the guys do not want to take the CDs back. As they look physically in good shape and likely to have regular workouts at the gym, they appear impressive, and the idea of getting into an argument is just out of the question.

In the process of taking the money out of the wallet to pay the forced donation, when I was caught in that scheme, I accidentally let them see a $20 bill in my wallet. They wanted it right away and gave me minimal change out of it "as it is for their friends too".

How can one escape this situation safely without giving out any money?

Note for duplicates: This situation, even if similar to the string scam used in other cities, is unique due to the approach of someone looking friendly and the realistic expectation to discover new music. And such people are rather difficult to "calculate" on first sight. Furthermore, I was not aware of similar schemes with different objects used before living the scam for real.

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DavGin
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    Possible duplicate of What's the deal with the "string people" in central Paris? – Freiheit Sep 21 '17 at 17:23
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    This closely duplicates: https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/13300/whats-the-deal-with-the-string-people-in-central-paris/13301#13301 . It may stand on its own merits if it is considered in the context of NYC vs. Paris. Telling someone off in NYC has a different social impact than in Paris. Police procedures in either place are also different. However the fundamental scam is EXACTLY the same and general attitudes and strategies apply in either case. I flagged this before reading the answer below, whoops. – Freiheit Sep 21 '17 at 17:24
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    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – JonathanReez Sep 24 '17 at 21:30

9 Answers9

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Tell them you don't have a CD player; it's 2017. Don't make eye contact and keep walking.

Nick
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    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – JoErNanO Sep 23 '17 at 17:32
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    They do not deserve explanation. Just keep walking. – emory Sep 24 '17 at 09:50
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    Just keep walking. Say "nah" if you want. No need to justify yourself with nonsense excuses. – coinbird Sep 26 '17 at 16:05
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    The just keep walking stuff doesn't work if you can't. In my state, there are sometimes approaches by a random guy trying to sell you his indie album while you're pumping gas. You can't just keep walking because you ain't walking. So "I don't even own a cd player" is a good option here, because most likely true. – developerwjk Sep 26 '17 at 20:04
  • Does it only work if they can get it to stick on your person? –  Sep 26 '17 at 20:32
  • When I encountered this the guy shoved the cd in my hand and followed me for two blocks. After two blocks of walking and saying that no I wouldn't give him a donation, he took the cd back. The "just keep walking" tactic can work, but these people are persistent. – Saltymule Sep 27 '17 at 12:41
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If you have a cell phone, take it out and call 911. When the operator answers, say "I am being harassed by an unlicensed peddler." At this point, they will likely disappear.

In case you are reluctant to call the emergency number for something that you may not view as an emergency, here's a page on the New York City website that explicitly instructs you to do so:

The City accepts reports of illegal peddlers or vendors operating without a license in a restricted area. In addition, you can report peddlers or vendors who are currently blocking crosswalks, traffic or ATMs, or otherwise causing a hazard or nuisance.

Call 911 to report a vendor causing a hazard or nuisance.

Disclaimer: this technique is untested. If I get a chance to test it, I'll come back and edit this answer.

In case you have not seen it, there is a New York Times article on the practice in which the reporter describes getting his hands on a CD by purchasing it from a tourist (after a scammer refused to sell him one). The CD was blank, so in addition to the other crimes being committed there may also be fraud.

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phoog
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    "a scammer refused to sell him one" -- so wearing a press pass (or something that looks a bit like one, or otherwise looking like a journalist) might be an effective way to avoid the scammers! – Steve Jessop Sep 21 '17 at 17:09
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    I've personally never threatened to call the police on a street scammer as I've found it's easier to just ignore them and keep walking. That being said I live in the city currently and I believe if you tried this with the wrong person on the wrong day there is a good chance this would lead to a physical altercation the moment "Hello police?" was said into your phone. People tend to get upset when their livelihood is threatened, even if that livelihood is illegitimate. – Schrodinger'sStat Sep 21 '17 at 18:08
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    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – JoErNanO Sep 23 '17 at 17:31
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    While I realize this is the most highly voted answer at this point, as someone who lives in New York City, and has seen a lot of sketchy stuff, doing something like actually stopping next to these people and calling 911 is really unsafe. The chances of you being physically attacked would most likely increase by doing that. The best advice is to just ignore them and past by/through them as if they were street fixtures. Don’t give them a name. Don’t do/say anything. Just physically get past them. – Giacomo1968 Sep 24 '17 at 05:11
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    @JakeGould: I have to agree there - if you must call 911, note the location of the scammer and do it well out of their sight. It may be safer to enter a store or other establishment to make the call than to remain outside. I have called police against a MetroCard scammer at one point and I did it well out of the person's sight. When I tried to take a picture of the person in question (after the call), I was threatened with a physical attack. – bwDraco Oct 01 '17 at 16:48
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A few things:

  1. Avoid making eye contact with them. Nothing will make them come up to you more aggressively than eye contact. You've seen them, they saw you see them, and they know it's a lot harder for you to ignore them now.

  2. As stated above, do not engage. If they approach you and you cannot immediately walk away just say no. Repeatedly say no if pressed.

  3. Blow right past them. If you are not stuck on that corner just walk right past them without regarding them at all. Do not let them stop you. If one of them tries to block your way walk around them.

  4. Wear headphones, even if you don't intend to listen to anything (and you shouldn't be.) It's much easier to ignore someone when you can pretend that you can't hear them. People are also much less likely to approach you if you are wearing headphones.

  5. If you did engage, do not take the CD. This is the worst thing you could do.

  6. If you have taken the CD and they refuse to take it back, gently put it on the ground and walk away.

I live in NYC and do not have an issue with these people and have not since I was new there. You simply ignore them.

Schrodinger'sStat
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    "Wear Headphones. It's much easier to ignore someone when you can pretend you do not hear them. People are also much less likely to approach you if you are wearing headphones." It's also harder to hear things you need to hear like cars, sirens, people coming up behind you, or important queries from strangers. Tuning out on the world runs the risk of becoming a victim to an accident or more significant crime. – Freiheit Sep 21 '17 at 20:49
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    @Freiheit I see nowhere in this post where the author suggests you actually play something on those ear buds, or for that matter, even plug them in to anything. I frequently use this technique, with a simple pair of Apple buds in my ears and the cord tucked in to my breast pocket inside my coat. I can hear everything, and time and again scammers just blow right by, hitting up the poor sap standing next to me. – WhozCraig Sep 21 '17 at 22:44
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    I think its implied but you raise a good point. I had not previously considered just having earbuds or headphones on w/o something playing. – Freiheit Sep 22 '17 at 13:14
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    @Freiheit I did not intend to imply that. As I said it is much easier to ignore someone when you can pretend you do not hear them. It does not matter if you are listening to anything or not. Edited answer to address the confusion. – Schrodinger'sStat Sep 22 '17 at 13:15
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    Drop -> Gently put. No sudden movements and no suggestion you intend to damage the CD. – einpoklum Sep 22 '17 at 21:29
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    To add a bit more, from my own experience unfortunately - be prepared to be insulted and offended - I was called "a f.. racist", being thrown the CD on my backpack, some other "pleasant" comments. Be prepared for this, don't get them get to you. – M4ks Sep 28 '17 at 14:05
  • @Freiheit I do this all the time, even with them plugged in to something. As long as they’re normal earbuds and the music isn’t on full blast you can hear things just fine. – DonielF Oct 01 '17 at 13:59
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Related to the string bracelets in Europe ...

What's the deal with the "string people" in central Paris?

Be assertive and just say NO (be as polite as possible) and be on you way.

Do not engage with them, keep your hands on your valuables, and walk away.

If feeling threatened, enter a store/restaurant, or other safe(r) space.

Max
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Simply act confident, say "nah bruh i'm good" and just keep walking or ignore them. They are used to it, they aren't going to waste their time harassing someone they don't think is a mark, and they aren't going to risk getting arrested for assaulting some dude who did what a hundred people have already done to them that day: ignore them.

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    This absolutely works in my experience. I'm not sure it has to be any more complicated than that. Don't close your hand around it, don't stop to accept it, just decline and walk on. Any attempt to engage in any kind of conversation or interaction beyond that will only make things more complicated and draw out the situation. I can't help but wonder though - when this happened to me it was in Times Square. The situation might feel very different in a less-travelled area. – Darren Ringer Sep 26 '17 at 16:57
  • @DarrenRinger True, but it's a scam that relies on a steady stream of potential marks. You're not too likely to encounter it in a quieter area. – Tiercelet Sep 29 '17 at 17:34
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I avoid it by not stepping foot in New York. But for those who lack that option, as with similar kinds of people I've encountered in parts of Marrakech, Sydney, Lima, Saigon, Miami, and many other cities, the answer is much the same as for the recent question How to get rid of the men who ask for money in Milan? — you must not engage in any way from the start.

This is difficult for a polite person to do, especially if your cultural background has a lot of greeting-related etiquette. It took me years, as an American who is accustomed to chatting with total strangers in line at a Starbucks. But if you so much as look up at them, they see it as an opening.

Do not say hello. Do not reply to good evening. Do not stop. Do not say thank you if they compliment your clothes. Do not make eye contact. Do not smile. Do not turn when they mention their sick daughter. Put your hands in your pockets; all the better so that they cannot hand anything to you, and to foil any would-be pickpockets associated with them or not. If they put something in your hand, put it back on the ground. If they grab your arm, pull away. If they get right in your face so that you cannot ignore them, give a firm no, I am not interested, repeated as necessary.

There is no need to be loud or violent or belligerent, just confident. If I see this kind of activity on a street and cannot avoid it, I will stop and put in my headphones (without even playing music) to make them easier to ignore. Once they figure out that they are wasting their time with you, they will move on to someone else.

Mike Harris
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choster
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    As a New Yorker, I want to point out that cultural norms differ across America. Specifically, "chatting with total strangers in line at a Starbucks" is unaccountably rude here, unless you've got a real good reason. You're a stranger to those people, they don't want to talk to you, they're just trapped in that line hoping you'll go away--you're doing the same thing as the CD scammers, you just happen to be asking for attention rather than money.

    I suspect this rule applies in most large Western cities.

     – Tiercelet Sep 21 '17 at 20:01
  • @Tiercelet I'm well aware of those norms. The point is that I'm not someone who's naturally afraid of strangers, or naturally brusque to them, but I can still maintain standoffishness when it is useful. It is a skill everyone needs to learn when traveling. – choster Sep 21 '17 at 20:47
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    @Tiercelet "cultural norms differ across America" "I suspect this rule applies in most large Western cities." Contradiction spotted. – David Richerby Sep 22 '17 at 09:39
  • @DavidRicherby There can't possibly be any norms that apply only to the coastal cities? Seems fairly farfetched to me. – Andy Sep 22 '17 at 16:07
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    @Andy Since the question is about New York, I assume that "Western" means "The West" as in Europe and the Americas, as distinct from Russia and China, rather than meaning the west coast of the USA. Tiercelet seems to be saying, essentially, "That thing you think applies everywhere probably doesn't, but this thing that I think applies everywhere obviously does." – David Richerby Sep 22 '17 at 22:22
  • @DavidRicherby True, it is a bit ambiguous. If he does mean Western cities, as West coast USA, what he said is not a contradiction. The large, coastal cities in the US have much more in common with each other than the middle of the country. As an American, I assumed he meant West coast cities, and his profiles indicates USA too, its not a stretch to think he's ignoring the rest of the world. I guess we'll have to wait for him to clarify :-) – Andy Sep 22 '17 at 22:31
  • Mmmm, I'm saying two things. 1, America is not homogeneous, and the dense cities I've lived in have different standards than the normative "heartland" because of increased density, making it impractical and burdensome to interact with the hundreds of strangers you encounter daily. 2. This phenomenon is also described in e.g. Watching_the_English and other writing about dense places, so I suspect (but don't guarantee) that it generalizes to places of high population density. How is it a contradiction to say that one can generalize correctly over one commonality but incorrectly over another? – Tiercelet Sep 23 '17 at 20:46
  • By "western" I did mean western Europe and North America; while I lived in Taipei for a while, as an obvious foreigner I'm not ready to generalize from that experience. – Tiercelet Sep 23 '17 at 20:57
  • This is all good advice including "Put your hands in your pockets; all the better so that they cannot hand anything to you". However, I must point out that you are not obligated to give them anything if they successfully hand you an unsolicited CD. You can keep it if you want. (Though probably you should not b/c it likely has horrible music and/or computer viri - maybe even human viri). – emory Sep 24 '17 at 09:54
  • @Tiercelet Thanks for clarifying. The contradiction is that you were pretty much arguing "I think this is a cultural norm and therefore holds everywhere in the West" right after stating that cultural norms are variable and don't hold everywhere even in the US. – David Richerby Sep 24 '17 at 20:10
  • @DavidRicherby I understand, but I don't think there's a real contradiction. The difference is whether the common feature over which one generalizes is relevant to the conclusion. The norm of ignoring people/negative politeness is a product of the high density that defines a large city. It's like saying "women can't reach things on high shelves" vs "short people can't reach things on high shelves"--the first fails to acknowledge diversity within the set, while the second is just a prediction from a relevant shared characteristic. – Tiercelet Sep 29 '17 at 17:31
  • "Do not reply to good evening. Do not stop. Do not say thank you if they compliment your clothes. Do not make eye contact. Do not smile." <-- when you have done this, you will know you are dead inside and a true New Yorker. – Chan-Ho Suh Jan 15 '20 at 22:43
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There are lots of answers here and, I would think from the content, not from people who see scams frequently. Your attention is taken by them - it happens. Here is your BEST reaction:

Say "No", immediately LOSE EYE CONTACT and walk away. Do NOT be courteous. Do NOT say "No thankyou." Do NOT give any reason or excuse. Do NOT engage in ANY form of conversation. Just WALK AWAY without looking back.

They will not be following - they will be harassing the next person behind you.

If you engage on any level, they will coerce money from you. If they see your wallet, you've pretty much lost the day.

Mike Jennett
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  • Not true. A scam like this could also be pulled in a situation where you aren't walking and can't easily leave. Someone could approach you to sell you their indie cd at a gas station, while you're pumping gas. You have to engage, because you're stationary. Just tell the truth: not interested. Don't like music. Don't even own a cd player. Whatever. And don't walk away with your back to a potential mugger like a moron. Make them leave first. And be ready to fight if necessary: that's the best advice. – developerwjk Sep 26 '17 at 20:10
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    @developerwjk I don't think the "best advice" is to be "ready for a fight" since, if you are actually dealing with a mugger, that is a great way to escalate the situation. – Casey Sep 26 '17 at 21:21
  • @Casey, I mean know how to fight because you can't always diffuse a situation. – developerwjk Sep 27 '17 at 17:55
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    @developerwjk Uh, yeah, I get it, but consider... if you're getting mugged at gunpoint, it isn't really a good idea (at least for most people) to try to use martial arts to get out of it. – Casey Sep 27 '17 at 17:56
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don't wait for the signal, cross in the other direction until you can cross the way you want to go

argawrgaw
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Life-Long NY'er here:

How can one escape this situation safely without giving out any money?

1) Don't dress like a tourist - that makes you a target.

2) You do what we do in NYC: IGNORE. Behave like a robot - you do not see them, hear them or have awareness of them. Just go about your business as if they are not there.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do; When in NYC, do as the NY'ers do

Vector
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