Locally, the biggest stories are panhandlers using hidden speakers to pretend they are performing while trying to get donations from drivers who can't hear the music well enough over traffic to recognize the scam. The allegations are people who follow these beggars find them driving nice cars. Not sure how much is rumor and prejudice, and how much is real scam.
The ingenuity humans go to with the intention of scamming other humans is boundless. So shameful.