What to Know
- Alec Baldwin took to Instagram on Monday to tell visitors to take the ferry to Staten Island if they want a view of the Statue of Liberty
- The actor says he was scammed into buying $40 boat tickets to see the iconic sculpture but the shuttle bus was taking his family to NJ
- He bought the tickets at South Ferry where scammers are notorious for tricking tourists
Even a Long Island native like Alec Baldwin can fall for an NYC tourist scam if they're not careful.
The "30 Rock" actor took to Instagram on Monday to tell visitors to take the free ferry to Staten Island if they want a view of the Statue of Liberty after he and his wife Hilaria bought what appeared to be $40 tickets for a "boat tour" of the tourist hot spot.
The "Tours R Us" ticket shown on the 61-year-old actor's social media says a free shuttle bus is offered to Liberty Park, New Jersey, and Baldwin's not happy about it.
"We are escorted to a shuttle bus. To New Jersey! I kid you not. We paid. Then we read the tickets. NO ON EVER MENTIONED NEW F***ING JERSEY!!! This is a scam," Baldwin wrote.
He bought the tickets at South Ferry where scammers are notorious for tricking tourists. The three-hour boat tour was never going to take people to see Lady Liberty.
Even two "sharp, savvy NYers" like the Baldwins make mistakes but fellow actor Ellie Kemper of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" didn't let them off easy, commenting "Ahahahahahhahahahahaaaahaa" on Baldwin's photo.
She added, "well listen, a shuttle bus can be fun too!!"
Local
But Mayor de Blasio and other city officials don't appear to be laughing. In response, the mayor announced new measures to combat what he called "an ongoing reality" in the Battery.
Part of that effort includes additional signage for the official ticket purchase locations and more police on patrol for scam artists. The city also issued cease-and-desist letters to two cruise lines that run unpermitted bus stops in lower Manhattan that head to boats that sail around Liberty Island, rather than to it.
The Baldwins and their four young children eventually got on the Staten Island ferry and took a family photo with the iconic copper statue in the background.
