FERRY WRONG
Major US tourist attraction targeted by thieves charging $50 for fake tickets – recent change makes tourists ‘easy prey’
No other ferry firm can give access to these NYC islands and monuments
AN ICONIC U.S. tourist attraction is still being used by scammers to fleece visitors out of their hard-earned cash.
Statue City Cruises is solely authorized to sell tickets to Liberty and Ellis Islands - but tourists are paying $50 to Statue of Liberty fraudsters.
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The theft comes five years after actor Alec Baldwin complained that he was among many people scammed into thinking he was buying tickets to the monument.
Ticket sellers from other firms often mislead tourists into believing they are booking a ride to the statue.
Complaints have also been flooding about hawkers selling tickets to the Staten Island Ferry, which is free.
The National Park Service (NPS) announced last year that it had chosen Statue City Cruises to again provide an exclusive passenger ferry service, having held the concession contract since 2008.
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Statue City Cruises is part of the Hornblower Group, with a portfolio including operations at Alcatraz Island, Niagara Falls and the NYC Ferry.
Its new contract runs for ten years, and started on March 1, 2024.
The trip goes from the Battery, New York City and Liberty State Park, Jersey City to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.
But news has again emerged of scammers fleecing tourists who are being tricked into paying twice as much for tickets.
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"Imagine if you're a New Yorker and somebody tried to tell you it costs $50 to get into the park," Matt Gill, captain at Statue City Cruises, told ABC7.
"Thankfully we know better, but unfortunately, a lot of folks don't.
"Unfortunately, I have to say to them, 'we didn't sell you that ticket - that was from an illegal vendor inside the park'."
ILLEGAL TICKETS
To help inform clueless visitors about the ruse, Statue City Cruises has placed helpful alert signs outside its ticket booth.
"Warning, scam alert. Illegal ticket vendors are selling deceptive tickets that cannot access the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island," the signs warn.
"Illegal ticket vendors cannot 'upgrade' Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tickets!"
The broadcaster spoke to two visitors who said they had been approached by people they assumed were legitimate sellers at the park entrance.
They'd been fooled into handing over money for tickets that wouldn't even take them to the monument.
ENFORCEMENT
The seller used pressure tactics by incorrectly claiming that they should have booked three weeks in advance.
But there are other issues contributing to visitors' confusion.
Construction at the site has created a bottleneck for pedestrians, making them feel rushed.
"It's causing those vendors to try to prey on people in a much smaller location, where it was easier to get into the park prior," Gill said.
The NPS confirmed that enforcement action is being taken against the fraudsters.
"Park Enforcement Officers patrol the area regularly and conduct joint details with NYPD to ensure that park rules are observed and enforced," the department said in a statement last Friday.
I kid you not. We paid.
Alec Baldwin
In 2019, Baldwin posted on Instagram that he and his wife, Hilaria, “two sharp, savvy NYers,” spent $40 tickets for themselves and their children to take a boat tour of the Statue of Liberty.
They were instead escorted to a shuttle bus - which took them to New Jersey.
“I kid you not. We paid. Then we read the tickets," Baldwin said.
Bank tips for avoiding scams
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam:
- Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions - be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to "never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first."
- Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
- Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
New York City officials vowed at that time to crack down on vendors selling boat rides around the Statue of Liberty, reported the Associated Press.
“The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of the promise of the America,” said then mayor Bill de Blasio.
"Tourists and visitors have been taken for a ride, and it’s unacceptable.
"We won’t let up until illegal and deceitful practices are a thing of the past.”
OFFICIAL SITE
To buy tickets in advance, go to StatueCityCruises.com or call 1-877-523-9849 (877-LADY-TIX), advises the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation website.
"Additional tickets are not needed to enter the Statue of Liberty Museum or Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
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"Tickets can be purchased in person at the Statue City Cruises ticket booths located in Castle Clinton in Battery Park (NYC) or at the ferry departure point in Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
"To guarantee entry, purchasing tickets in advance is recommended."