Collecting Signatures on Franklin Ave ?

Has anyone else been asked for a signature and money to support a basketball team on Franklin Ave by very aggressive and rude high school kids?  Today I was approached by a young man on his cell phone who demanded by signature.  I asked him what it was for and he told me it was for his basketball team and I needed to sign and give him money.  Needless to say I didn't but then I saw him/his buddies approach others.  One of them screamed at a woman for being racist though she just blew him off like anyone who doesn't want to get hassled on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  Does anyone know if this basketball team exists or what school these kids attend?  Happened to you?

Yes. It is a scam. Report to police if you can.

can anyone explain what the scam is? just curious. i see kids on vanderbilt and also 5th ave harassing people for money for their basketball team. they seem to really enjoy getting in people's faces and asking for money. are they just asking for money and if someone gives it to them, that's it?

Yeah, pretty sure that's all there is to it.  The clipboard/paper makes it feel more legitimate to some naive NYers.  Calling people racist is a wrinkle that many seem to use.  

Where are their parents? #justasking

Besides the "basketball kids", we have Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, Green Energy, etc, etc. Is it just me or do we have to thank Starbucks for this? I never saw anything like this before they came. Just Saying.........

@iamahmadrabah you're joking right?  I know you have a personal beef with Starbucks, so not sure if this is sarcasm or you truly blame them for anything that now happens.

Where there are people, there will be scammers, petitioners, etc.

Different people are susceptible to different scams and/or sales pitches.

Young, recent graduates who are new to NYC seem prime for causes that involve race and poverty and other social causes.

Yeah, I remember getting hit up lots of times pre-Starbucks.  

I actually don't have a beef with starbucks.   Between basketball kids, the homeless sleeping inside on cold winter days and commercial rents asking 100 dollars per foot now starbucks did a lot for the area. :-) 

BTW 2 wks ago the starbucks ice machine was down and I gave them ice for 2 days, no charge. No beef here buddy! They are nice neighbors to have.

Lets talk about those kids now

Fair enough!  Not sure if sbux is cause or correlation, the area has been going up and changing for a while.  What it has done is make me think more of coffee, and I then walk into Pulp & Bean.    

As for the sidewalk dwellers, if everyone just walked by and ignored them, maybe they'd move on to better fishing grounds.  

Are we as good of fishing grounds as Union Square?

Perhaps the ppl that write for the local NYC papers that are reading will take notice and bring it up with the mayors office. Things like basketball kids, the dudes standing on every traffic light, etc, green peace ppp ask if I have 2 minutes have now replaced the corner drug dealer and have become the new topic at community meetings. (Don't forget about the raccoons too) lol

Wow happy, I guess, to find out it's a scam.  I thought it was sad that there was a local school who would send out kids so unprepared to talk to people on the street and so inappropriate with strangers.  They're just scammers - phew!