New York City residents are among the least likely Americans to fall victim to scams and swindles, but that doesn't stop con artists from trying to outwit New Yorkers. Hustlers use a number of different strategies to try to cheat their victims, from well-known shakedowns like the "broken glasses scam" to more obscure hoaxes like the "pigeon drop," the Daily News reports.
According to the tabloid, con artists keep trying to pull the "broken glasses scam"—or variations like the "broken bottle scam" or the "broken insulin shot scam." In this ruse, perps bump into their victims and drop items they claim are valuable. The crooks then demand payment for the broken property. Then there's the "pigeon drop," also known as the "found money scam." In this heist, the scammers—typically well-dressed young women—tell victims—often an elderly women in Latino neighborhoods in Brooklyn or the Bronx—they just found a suitcase filled with cash. The perps promise to split the money if the victims offer a retainer fee. In the end, the suitcase of cash turns out to be fake and the victims lose their money.
Tourists are the main target of street swindlers who personalize their wares—like CDs or posters—by signing their names or the names of the victims on their offerings, then demand payment. A rapper suspected of using this heist to sell his CDs was shot and killed in Midtown last year after he opened fire on a police officer. But locals often fall for the "mystery shopper" scam, in which perps offer victims employment as undercover shoppers who are hired to grade customer service. The scammers send checks to victims and tell them to use some of the money to go shopping, keep a portion of the cash, and send any leftover money back. The victims make purchases and wire back money from their own accounts—only to learn that the initial check was fraudulent and they must now pay for bounced checks as well as any items they bought with the fake money.
Scammers continue to troll Craigslist, where they try the "Nigerian scam," as well as other heists. Recently, crooks have used Craigslist in attempts to offload fake gym memberships, bogus Animal Collective tickets, non-existent sports cars, as well as other items.
