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Helpful Information
Safety We do not believe that Buenos Aires is an unsafe travel or vacation destination. Buenos Aires is, however, an expansive metropolitan area, and similar to any other city, we do believe it is necessary to take certain precautions to ensure a pleasant stay in Argentina’s capital. Please keep in mind the following points during your stay:
Useful Preventative Advice to
Avoid Petty Crime:
- Remain alert in day-to-day situations; not in a paranoid state, but attentive.
- Always secure personal items out of plain sight, i.e. wallets, passports, etc.; when in crowded locations, especially the subway, hold your belongings against the front of your person.
- Avoid splitting up into groups, especially when in an unknown neighborhood.
- Do not give out personal information to strangers, i.e. phone soliciters.
- Do not accept promotions offered in public i.e. street vendors selling hypothetical services; artesian goods being sold at a fair is fine.
- Do not visually exude wealth, through dress, cars, flashy jewelry, etc.
- Be informed of how to contact the police from a land line; in Capital Federal and the province of Buenos Aires, one can dial ‘101’.
- Be informed of how to contact the police from a cell phone; *911 from Movistar or Personal, *101 from Claro phones.
- If confronted with an emergency in the subway, from a cell phone you can dial *31416 or contact an on-duty official.
- To ask questions or directions, ask knowledgeable and trustworthy sources such as police officers, newspaper stands, or employees of commercial shops.
In Relation to Taxis:
- It is preferable to take a taxi at a taxi stand (generally located at major intersections).
- If hailing a taxi on the street, look for a ‘Radio Taxi’ logo, yellow circles enclosing circles on rear passenger doors.
- Located the driver’s license located behind the driver’s seat, containing his name and license number.
- When getting into a taxi, test the lock and unlock function of the door locks.
- When stating your final destination, ask for the approximate cost of the trip.
- Do not get into a taxi waiting outside a bank.
- If getting into a taxi after a visit to the bank, do not count or expose money publically.
- When paying for a taxi, avoid using large bills, especially at night, as counterfeit bills are often distributed as change.
In Relation to ATMs & Banks:
- Avoid ATMs in isolated locations, those with dim lighting or those in the center of public locations, especially at night. If you are in an unfamiliar neighborhood, it’s preferable to look for an ATM with certain safety measures in place, such as proper lighting, a card-swipe entry-only door and surveillance cameras. Even if the ’safer’ ATM is not within your bank’s network, and thus, charges a small commission, it may be worth it to spend a few dollars to ensure your peace of mind.
- Keep your ATM card in your hand to quicken the transaction process, storing it away once its use is no longer needed.
PIN numbers should never be obvious, such as ‘1234,’ a birth date or anniversary; when PINs do not reflect personal information, your level of security is enhanced. Do not use an ATM in the presence of others, although they may seem harmless or be children. If there are others around, ensure that no one is able to see your PIN entry; when entering your PIN, attempt to cover the buttons with your hands or body to obscure the view of onlookers.
- Never let anyone help you take out money, with the exception, of course, of trusted bank personnel during banking hours.
When withdrawing money, be sure to store it away quickly, before leaving the bank. If you’d like to count the money, do so afterwards with discretion. It’s advisable, as well, to save ATM receipts, so your transaction details remain private.
In Respect to Money:
- Do not change exchange money in un-authorized exchange houses or on public streets; money can be changed in commercial banks or authorized change houses which always ask for your passport.
- Always have Argentine Pesos on hand; exchange rates are less than favorable when payment is given in foreign currencies.
- Do not travel with large sums of money on your person.
- It’s best to have cards and personal documents separate from money, whether in pockets or a separate section of a purse or bag.
The best security measure is prevention, but remember, in the case that you become the victim of a petty crime, please do not exhibit resistance, but notify the police and allow them to handle the situation accordingly.
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