Reviewed report
What happened?
Yesterday, while walking near the Galata Bridge towards Eminönü, a shoe shiner walked past me and 'accidentally' dropped his brush. Being polite, I called out and handed it back to him. He thanked me profusely and immediately insisted on shining my shoes for free as a thank you. I didn't want to be rude, so I accepted. But the moment he finished, his friendly face changed. He demanded 400 TL ($12) for 'special creams' he used. When I refused, two of his friends suddenly appeared around us. I felt threatened and had to pay. It ruined my afternoon. Radar Uyarısı (The Takeaway): If someone drops a shoe brush in front of you, ignore it and keep walking. It is a well-known setup. If they start cleaning your shoes, say a firm "No" and walk away immediately.