Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires scams: what to watch for
The scams that hit visitors in Buenos Aires are mostly distraction theft and card tricks: fake bird-poop stains, spiked drinks, taxi meter games, dynamic currency conversion and counterfeit notes. Walk with a small cash roll and one card, keep your phone off the table, and pay in pesos with a card that charges in pesos. Skip the late-night walk through Retiro and La Boca's edges.
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GuideBuenos Aires
Key facts
- Most common
- Distraction theft (mustard or bird-dropping stain, bumped on the Subte, phone snatched at a café table)
- Card risk
- Dynamic currency conversion and skimmers; ask to be charged in ARS, not USD
- Cash risk
- Counterfeit 1,000 and 2,000 peso notes; check the watermark and thread
- Taxi risk
- Meter not started, longer route, or a switched note at the end; use an app or radio taxi
- Night risk
- La Boca beyond Caminito and the Retiro bus and train area after dark; take a taxi instead of walking
- Emergency numbers
- 911 police, 107 ambulance, 100 fire
- If robbed
- Report at a police station (denuncia) for insurance; tourist police in central areas
Top picks
If you read one thing: the highest-value habit in Buenos Aires is separating your money. Carry a small amount of cash for the day and leave the rest, plus a backup card, in the hotel safe. Most incidents here are quick hands, not confrontations, and a thin wallet limits the damage.
Second: pay attention at the two moments you are most exposed, which are getting into a taxi and paying a bill. Both are where the classic Buenos Aires tricks happen.
| Scam | Where it happens | What it costs you | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stain distraction | Sidewalks in San Telmo, Recoleta, Florida Street | Phone or wallet | Refuse help, walk to a shop or hotel lobby, clean up there |
| Café table grab | Outdoor tables in Palermo, San Telmo | Phone | Keep the phone in a pocket or bag strap, not on the table |
| Taxi meter game | Airport ranks, Retiro, Microcentro | ARS 5,000–20,000 extra (2026 estimate) | Use an app or a radio taxi; confirm the meter starts at zero |
| Dynamic currency conversion | Hotels, some restaurants, card machines | 3–8% on the total (2026 estimate) | Say 'en pesos' and check the slip before tapping |
| Counterfeit notes | Street change, small kiosks, taxi change | The face value of the note | Check watermark and thread; break big notes in supermarkets |
Costs are 2026 estimates; peso amounts move with inflation.
Map
Areas to treat with more care, all approximate: La Boca outside the Caminito block, the Retiro bus and train station surroundings after dark, Constitución station at night, and the Once and Microcentro shopping streets where crowds are dense. These are working areas, not no-go zones; the fix is usually to take a taxi after dark rather than walk, and to keep your bag in front of you in crowds.
The areas where visitors spend most evenings, Recoleta, Palermo, San Telmo and Puerto Madero, are busy and generally comfortable on foot, but phone snatching from outdoor tables happens in all of them. Treat any street where a stranger starts a conversation about your clothes as a signal to keep walking.
- La Boca: stay on the Caminito and the main approach streets in daylight
- Retiro and Constitución: taxi in and out after dark
- Florida Street and Microcentro: bag in front, no phone in hand
- Subte at rush hour: backpack on your front, pockets zipped
- Anywhere: if two people crowd you at once, one is working your other side
Tips
Money handling is where most travellers lose something. Since foreign cards convert near the market rate, paying by card is usually the simplest route, but insist on being charged in pesos. If the machine or the waiter offers dollars, decline; the conversion is done at a rate that favours them. Keep a few small notes for tips, since about 10% in cash is the local norm in restaurants.
For cash, withdraw from bank ATMs inside a branch or mall during the day rather than a street machine at night, and check notes when you get change. Counterfeit notes are a known problem, so learn the watermark and the security thread on the 1,000 and 2,000 peso notes before you need to check one in a hurry.
For taxis, the app route removes the meter argument entirely. If you hail one, confirm the meter is running from zero and that you have small notes to pay with. At Ezeiza airport, use the official taxi or remis counters inside the terminal rather than anyone who approaches you in the arrivals hall.
Drinks: do not leave a drink unattended in a bar, and be wary of a stranger who buys you one. Reports of spiked drinks exist in nightlife areas and the result is usually theft, not worse. Keep your phone out of sight when you are drinking.
- Charge cards in ARS, never in USD
- Withdraw inside a bank branch or mall in daylight
- Check the watermark and thread on 1,000 and 2,000 peso notes
- Use an app or radio taxi, and confirm the meter starts at zero
- Never leave a drink unattended
- Carry the day's cash separately from the backup card
FAQ
Questions people ask
What scams target tourists in Buenos Aires?
The common ones are distraction theft (a mustard or bird-dropping stain on your bag, then a helpful stranger), phone snatching from café tables, taxi meter games, dynamic currency conversion on card machines, and counterfeit peso notes. Most are quick hands rather than confrontations, so a thin wallet and a phone in your pocket remove most of the risk.
Is Buenos Aires safe at night?
Recoleta, Palermo, San Telmo and Puerto Madero are busy and generally comfortable on foot in the evening. Take a taxi after dark around Retiro and Constitución stations, and skip walking La Boca beyond Caminito at night. Keep your phone out of sight and your bag in front of you.
What should I do if my wallet is stolen in Buenos Aires?
Report it at a police station and get the denuncia (report) for insurance; there are tourist police points in central areas. Then call your bank to block the cards, and use a backup card or a bank branch for cash. Keep a photo of your passport and card numbers somewhere separate from the originals.
Do I need cash in Buenos Aires?
Cards convert near the market rate, so you can pay most bills by card, but small notes are useful for tips (about 10% in restaurants, cash preferred) and for kiosks. Withdraw from an ATM inside a bank branch or mall in daylight, and check the notes you get as change.
Is the Subte safe?
Yes in normal hours, but it is the classic place for pickpockets at rush hour. Wear your backpack on your front, zip your pockets, and hold your phone rather than leaving it in a loose side pocket. If two people press against you at once, move away.
Deep dive
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