'Sharp, Savvy' New Yorker Alec Baldwin Falls For Statue Of Liberty Boat Tour Scam

Alec Baldwin fell victim to a notorious scam over the weekend while attempting to take his family to see one of New York’s most famous tourist destinations, the Statue of Liberty.

The 61-year-old actor, who is actually a New York state native, told his story on Instagram on Sunday. He and his wife Hilaria Baldwin — “two sharp, savvy NYers,” he said — bought tickets for what they believed would be a boat tour that would take them to the Statue of Liberty. It wasn’t until after they purchased the $40 passes and were led to a shuttle bus that they realized the tour would actually take them to New Jersey instead, he explained.

“So, we head to South Ferry. Me and @hilariabaldwin,” Baldwin wrote alongside a photo of his ticket. “Two sharp, savvy NYers. Kids in tow. We buy the tickets for the ‘boat tour’ of the Statue of Liberty. 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. Take the SI Ferry. It’s the best ride in NY.”

The tour that the Baldwins paid for would have taken them to New Jersey by shuttle bus, and from there, they would have gotten on a boat called the “Queen of Hearts,” the New York Daily News reports, citing the New York City Department of Transportation. Despite being advertised as an hour-long tour, it typically takes around three hours, according to the outlet.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement Tuesday that the New York City Police Department, the Department of Transportation, and the Economic Development Corporation will be working together to hold those who sell unlicensed tours to the Statue of Liberty accountable, Yahoo News reports.

“The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of the promise of the America,” de Blasio said. “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.”

Baldwin’s story, at least, has a happy ending. Despite the earlier mix-up, the family did get to see the Statue Of Liberty in the end — after taking a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which is free.

Hilaria Baldwin posted a photo of the couple posing with their children on the ferry, with the Statue Of Liberty visible in the background.