Destinations › Argentina › Buenos Aires › Scams
Buenos Aires, Argentina
10 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Buenos Aires, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Drivers running tampered meters, taking extended routes, or swapping a genuine note for a counterfeit one when giving change.
Bag theft from café tables and restaurant chair backs, and phone snatching by motorbike pairs on the boulevards.
The 'mustard' or spilled-substance routine, where a stain appears on your clothing and a helpful stranger cleans it while an accomplice takes your bag.
Multiple exchange rates in circulation exploited against visitors, plus counterfeit notes given as change. Street changers advertising strong rates are the main source of both.
Unlicensed guides at cemeteries and heritage districts charging for commentary on publicly accessible routes.
Individuals presenting identification and demanding wallet inspection for a 'counterfeit note check'.
Short-let listings taking deposits in foreign currency for properties unavailable or misrepresented on arrival.
Restaurants adding a cubierto plus service charge and items not ordered, with menus that do not show the cover clearly.
Counterfeit branded goods and imitation leather sold as Argentine-made at premium prices.
Tango show and dinner packages sold by street agents at heavy markups over booking direct, sometimes for venues with no reservation.
