These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across สหรัฐอเมริกา, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
วิธีการทำงาน: Performers dressed as superheroes or showgirls pose for photos on the Strip, then aggressively demand a cash tip afterwards, sometimes for more than one person in the photo.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Only pose if you intend to tip, agree the amount first if asked, and feel free to decline and walk on if you did not ask for the photo.
วิธีการทำงาน: Booths on the Strip offer free show tickets or attraction discounts in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation, which turns into a long, high-pressure sales pitch.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Assume any 'free ticket' booth on the sidewalk is a timeshare lead generator, and skip it unless you genuinely want to sit through a sales presentation.
วิธีการทำงาน: Promoters outside nightclubs offer 'free entry' or 'no line' deals, then steer you toward marked-up bottle service or drinks once inside.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Confirm exactly what is included before agreeing to follow a promoter, and check menu prices before ordering once inside.
วิธีการทำงาน: Some taxi drivers take a longer route than necessary, including looping via the airport tunnel, to inflate the metered fare on trips along the Strip.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Use a rideshare app with a fixed upfront price where possible, or ask about the route before departing; most Strip resorts are a short, direct ride apart.
วิธีการทำงาน: Counterfeit or wildly overpriced tickets for resident production shows, concerts and arena events are sold near venues like T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden and Allegiant Stadium, or through resale sites and social media, and may not scan at the door.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Buy tickets only from the venue's official box office, the show's official website, or a well-known ticketing platform. Be wary of anyone selling tickets in person outside a venue on event night.
วิธีการทำงาน: Workers on the Strip and Downtown sidewalks aggressively flick and hand out cards advertising adult entertainment, sometimes blocking your path or following alongside to press a card into your hand.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Keep walking and decline without engaging; the practice is a persistent nuisance rather than a safety threat, and stopping to argue tends to prolong it.
วิธีการทำงาน: In Times Square, people dressed as cartoon characters or painted performers pose for photos, then aggressively demand a large 'tip', sometimes surrounding tourists.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Do not accept a photo unless you want to pay. If you do, agree a small amount first and have a dollar or two ready. A firm no and walking on is enough; you are not obliged to pay.
วิธีการทำงาน: Someone presses a CD or 'demo' into your hand as a gift, sometimes asking you to sign something, then demands cash and blocks your way until you pay.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Do not take anything handed to you on the street. Keep your hands free, decline clearly, and keep walking; you owe nothing for an item you did not ask for.
วิธีการทำงาน: Touts near major sights sell 'discount' tickets for observation decks, bus tours or ferries that are overpriced, invalid, or for services that do not exist.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Buy only from official websites, box offices or the venue itself. Ignore street sellers and anyone offering to skip the line for cash near the entrance.
วิธีการทำงาน: A minority of drivers take unnecessarily long routes, claim the meter is broken, or quote an inflated flat fare instead of using the meter, especially from the airports.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Use the official taxi rank, insist on the meter, and know the fixed JFK-to-Manhattan flat fare. Watch the route on your phone and use a licensed ride-hailing app as an alternative.