/ By / Random Encounters / Friendly Faces, Street Artists

Costumed Street Performer Scams: Historical Characters and Pop Cosplayer Buskers

two street artists dressed as Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse greet passers-by on the street

Costumed street performer scams are becoming more frequent at popular tourist destinations. These performers, often dressed as historical figures or iconic pop culture characters, usually offer to take photos with tourists, but not all are honest people.

Sometimes referred to as customed buskers, they wear eye-catching historical or fantasy outfits and are found in major tourist areas like the Colosseum in Rome, where you might see Roman legionaries, or Hollywood, where superheroes and famous movie characters roam the streets. You can also spot them in places like Tokyo, where performers dress as anime characters.

These are just a few examples, as costumed street performers in traditional or pop culture outfits and costumes can be found at tourist hubs worldwide.

In this article, we’ll focus specifically on those who charge tourists and passers-by for photos, either through voluntary tips or fixed fees. For more details, please refer to the Extras and Thoughts section at the end.

1) How It Works

As mentioned, these scammers blend in with genuine costumed street performers and buskers who wear traditional or pop culture costumes at tourist, historical, and cultural hubs worldwide.

For both scammers and honest performers, the initial interaction with passersby is often the same:

  • They approach tourists with a friendly attitude, inviting them to take a photo.
  • Some may even hand you props (like swords or helmets) to get you more involved and encourage you to pose with them.

Honest genuine performers typically clarify their expectations upfront, letting you know they expect either a fixed fee or a voluntary tip. However, some may not clearly mention that payment is required, assuming that tourists know tipping is part of the deal.

Street artists dressed as legionaries and other historical Roman characters in front of the Colosseum among passers-by and tourists.
Roman Legionaries and other ancient characters posing in front of the Colosseum, Rome. (Credit - PickPik)

Scammers Behaviour with Potential Victims

After the photo, scammers will start to demand an unexpectedly high amount of money and become pushy and rude.

Sometimes, even after receiving a small tip or the agreed payment, they might continue to pressure and pest you for more.

In both cases, scammers may claim there was a misunderstanding about the price or try to guilt you with emotional stories.

In some areas, there have even been reports of intimidation attempts, and, in extreme cases, even violent behaviors.

As you can imagine, the real problem here is that it might be almost impossible to tell an honest street performer from a scammer until after the photo has been taken.

two street artists dressed as spider man and captain america pose for a photo among passers-by.
Street performers dressed as Marvel characters. (Credit - @Thom-gonzalez-3126166 via Pexels)

3) How to Avoid It

To avoid falling victim to this scam when taking a photo with a costumed street performer or cosplayer, follow these simple tips:

– Ask for the price upfront: Before snapping any photos, always clarify the cost. If they later ask for more, claiming a misunderstanding or giving you a sob story, simply stick to the agreed price, politely say goodbye, and walk away. You can feel good knowing you handled it right.

– Stay alert for pickpockets: If a discussion over payment becomes heated, be aware of pickpockets or accomplices who may try to take advantage of the distraction. Always keep an eye on your belongings.

– Tip fairly: If the performer suggests a voluntary tip, give an amount you feel is fair to avoid unnecessary arguments and perhaps reward their honesty. What’s considered a “fair minimum” varies depending on the country and local customs, so there’s no universal standard, but aim for an amount that feels respectful.

People Posing with Costumed Buskers on the street
People Posing with Costumed Buskers. Mexico. (Credit - Adam Jones via Wikimedia)

4) Extras And Thoughts

We’ve used terms like “cosplayer” and similar to describe people who impersonate historical, traditional, or pop culture characters. However, this article is not intended to unfairly criticize or condemn anyone who pursues this kind of work or hobby.

This article is also not meant to accuse or condemn all costumed street performers who offer tourists photo opportunities in exchange for tips. Even if they request money after a photo or insist on a donation, it doesn’t automatically make them scammers. After all, this is how they earn a living.

As mentioned earlier, the real key red flags are when performers demand unreasonable fees, unexpectedly increase the price after the photo, or become overly aggressive or intimidating to get more money.

By following the tips in the How to Avoid It section, you should be able to deal with this street scam.

Content Disclaimer

All images are licensed under CC0, CC BY, or CC BY-SA and belong to their respective authors.

error: Content is protected !!