Fake Monks
Fake Monk signs at Faneuil Hall
As you walk around Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market you may see some strange signs. One of these signs are warnings about the Fake Monk Mafia.
These signs seem a bit out of place, and certainly make people think - why are these signs here? What are these people doing that so bad?
Things I Learned About the Signs
- The notices started going up around the summer of 2016.
- This is part of the North End Waterfront council community to inform people of the panhandlers.
- The signs were put up in various places around the North End informing tourist about the fake panhandlers.
- Local merchants were annoyed about these people asking for money for a fake cause.
- The scam is that they slide a bracelet on your wrist and insist that you make a donation to their cause.
- Recent sightings have been near the Holocaust Memorial and around Park Street Station.
Not a Boston Problem
The Fake Monks are a problem in major cities around the world. Just about every popular tourist spot has men posing as Buddist monks harassing passers-by for money and react angrily when told no or when ignored.
Stories from around the Internet:
- New York Post - Fake Buddhist monks are the new squeegee men of New York (June 15, 2015)
- KRON (San Francisco) - People Behaving Badly: More San Francisco fake monks
- Inside Chicago - Avoid Fake Monks in Chicago
- South China Morning Post - Six ways to spot a fake Buddhist monk after Hong Kong ex-actress Mary Jean Reimer on crusade to expose them strikes again
Sign Text
The text on the sign reads:
Do Not Give Money to the Fake Monk Mafia!
These are not real monks. They have been harassing our visitors - please do not encourage them by giving them money.
Is you are being harassed by one of these individuals. please call Faneuil Hall Marketplace Security: 1-857-208-1585.