Travel Scams in Buenos Aires

1. The mustard scam

An accomplice sprays mustard or a similar substance on your clothes; a 'helpful' stranger — often a well-dressed woman — appears with tissues to clean you up while a partner lifts your bag or pockets. The UK FCDO calls the mustard scam a common, specifically Buenos Aires form of distraction theft and says to refuse help firmly and walk away.

Warning signs

• A sudden stain on your clothes you did not see happen
• A stranger appearing instantly with napkins or water
• Multiple people crowding in to 'help'
• It happens in tourist corridors like San Telmo, Florida Street or Retiro

How to avoid it

• Politely but firmly refuse all help and walk away holding your bags
• Keep bags in front of you with zips closed in crowded areas
• Clean up only once inside a shop or hotel
• Be extra alert in the FCDO-listed hotspots: San Telmo, La Boca, Retiro, Florida Street

2. Motochorro motorbike snatch-and-grab

Two thieves on a motorbike work as a team: one drives, the other jumps off to snatch phones, bags and jewellery from pedestrians — or reaches into cars at lights. Australia's Smartraveller describes motochorro robberies as common in Argentina's larger cities, and the UK FCDO notes thieves on motorbikes snatching bags from pedestrians.

Warning signs

• A motorbike with two riders moving slowly alongside pedestrians
• Using your phone at the kerb or an intersection
• Bags carried on the traffic side of the pavement
• Motorbikes mounting the pavement

How to avoid it

• Do not use your phone on the street; step inside a shop to check maps
• Walk on the building side of the pavement with bags on the inside
• Keep car windows up and doors locked, valuables out of sight
• Avoid wearing visible jewellery and watches

3. Fake airport taxi operators

Criminals pose as taxi operators at the airport and rob passengers, sometimes working with other drivers. Australia's Smartraveller documents this explicitly and recommends radio taxis, remises or ride-hailing apps that keep driver records; the standard countermeasure at Ezeiza is the official pre-booked taxi and remis counters inside arrivals.

Warning signs

• Drivers soliciting inside the terminal or at the kerb
• No company branding, licence display or booking slip
• A cash-only fare demanded up front
• The quoted price shifting once you are in the car

How to avoid it

• Book at the official taxi/remis counters inside the arrivals hall
• Use Cabify or Uber so the trip and driver are recorded
• Never share a taxi with strangers who 'join' the ride
• Keep doors locked and bags out of sight during the ride

4. Taxi overcharging and the banknote switch

Street-hailed taxis quote tourists inflated fares or take roundabout routes, and a long-documented Buenos Aires variant is the note switch: you hand over a large bill, the driver swaps it for a counterfeit or claims you paid with a smaller denomination, and demands more. Smartraveller records that robberies in taxis are common; local guides document the counterfeit-change routine.

Warning signs

• No visible radio-taxi logo on the doors
• A driver who handles your note out of sight before 'checking' it
• Claims your 10,000-peso note was a 1,000
• Taxis loitering outside tourist attractions rather than ranks

How to avoid it

• Hail only radio taxis with door logos, or book via app
• Pay with small notes and say the denomination aloud as you hand it over
• Keep your eyes on your bill until change is returned
• Have your hotel or restaurant call the cab

5. Express kidnapping

Victims are held briefly and forced to empty accounts via ATM withdrawals or transfers, then released. The UK FCDO records express kidnappings in Argentina and links the risk to casual street taxis, advising booked radio taxis and discretion about valuables.

Warning signs

• A street taxi diverting from your route
• A second person entering the vehicle
• Demands for cards and PINs
• Pressure to phone family for transfers

How to avoid it

• Book taxis in advance or use ride-hailing apps; avoid casual street cabs, especially at night
• Keep ATM withdrawal limits low while travelling
• Do not display expensive clothing or jewellery
• Comply if targeted, then report to police immediately

Practical safety briefing

• Airport arrival: At Ezeiza, ignore kerbside solicitors and book at the official taxi or remis counters inside arrivals, or take the Tienda Leon shuttle bus to the city — fake operators at the airport are a documented robbery vector.
• Trusted transport: Radio taxis (door logos), remises booked by phone, and Cabify/Uber; the Subte metro with a SUBE card is the standard local option in daylight hours.
• Money & payments: Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres and avoid them after dark. Pay taxis with small notes stated aloud, and check change carefully — counterfeit peso notes are a documented grift.

Official travel advisories

• UK FCDO — Names the Buenos Aires mustard scam, lists theft hotspot neighborhoods including San Telmo, La Boca and Retiro, and warns of express kidnapping linked to casual taxis.
• Australia Smartraveller — Documents motochorro snatch robberies, criminals posing as airport taxi operators, robberies in taxis, and hotspot areas across Buenos Aires.

Compiled from documented reports and government advisories. How we verify scams. Last verified July 2026.