Same black market counterfeit sales stuff going on since the 80's... except the aggressive times square performers... that started after 2000... I used to stop to watch the 3-card monte scams on 5th Ave... always fun trying to figure out who was a shill and who was a mark!
And don't get me started about the aggressive squeegee guys... what a nuisance... Giuliani put a stop to that in the 90's! They did make comebacks though