As New York City prepares to welcome a wave of visitors for the World Cup, city leaders are taking steps to shield tourists from scams. Officials say the goal is to make sure that the people flocking to the city for the games are not deceived or taken advantage of during their stay. The push comes amid expectations of large crowds of out-of-town visitors in the coming weeks.
At the heart of the effort is a recent inquiry by city lawmakers. The City Council conducted an investigation into deceptive practices aimed specifically at tricking tourists. The probe sought to document the kinds of schemes visitors can run into on the streets of New York, where unfamiliar travelers can be easy targets.
One of the problems the investigation focused on involved pedicabs. Undercover field work found pedicab operators who were working without the required licenses. Beyond operating illegally, these operators were also found to be overcharging the people who hired them, leaving riders to pay far more than they should.
The investigation also uncovered a scheme tied to one of the city's most famous attractions. It found people selling Statue of Liberty tickets, even though there is only one licensed vendor authorized to sell tickets for that destination. The presence of other sellers pointed to tickets being offered outside the official channel.
The problem with those unofficial tickets went beyond the question of licensing. According to the findings, the tours sold by these operators often never actually stopped at Lady Liberty. Tourists who believed they had bought a trip to the Statue of Liberty could end up on an outing that did not deliver what was promised.
In response to what was uncovered, the city is moving to put protections in place. The plan calls for the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to create and promote consumer protection materials focused specifically on tourists. The idea is to give visitors clearer information so they can recognize and avoid common scams.
City leaders are also pressing for the related measure to move quickly. The City Council Speaker is calling for the law to take effect as soon as possible, so that the protections are in place before the full rush of World Cup visitors arrives. With so many tourists expected, officials are framing the crackdown as a way to safeguard both visitors and the city's reputation.