In this solo episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast by Plugg.Tech, host Brian Samson shares the story of being scammed and mugged in Buenos Aires during his first hour in Latin America — and how a stranger’s act of kindness changed his perspective on Argentina forever. An honest look at safety, street smarts, and the real character of Argentine people. Key topics: is Buenos Aires safe, Argentina travel safety, scams Buenos Aires tourists, traveling Latin America safely, Argentine culture kindness.
Buenos Aires is generally safe for travelers and expats who exercise normal urban awareness. Brian Samson, who has visited Argentina many times over the past decade, describes the mugging he experienced in his first hour as the only incident across all of those visits — and notes that it happened because he was carrying obvious bags in a quiet downtown area without situational awareness. Common scams like the distraction technique he fell victim to are well-documented and avoidable with preparation.
The most common scam in Buenos Aires involves a distraction — often someone pointing at something in the sky or gesturing behind you — while an accomplice removes something from your bag or pockets. Brian Samson experienced this firsthand and describes exactly how it works. The key defense is simple: keep bags in front of you in open areas, avoid stopping for strangers in quiet streets, and stay aware of who is near you.
Brian Samson
Founder at Plugg Technologies
Brian Samson is the founder of Plugg Technologies and a veteran tech entrepreneur, with 10 years building successful nearshoring companies. Brian has helped to grow Plugg into one of the leading nearshoring agencies, connecting technical talent in Latin America; including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua and Colombia with top U.S. companies. Plugg consistently hires and places over 100 LATAM resources each year.
Plugg sponsors and Brian Samson hosts the leading podcast about doing business in Latin America with 70+ episodes, The Nearshore Cafe Podcast. In addition, Plugg brings insight and clarity to clients by supporting them with the details, big and small, to set their team up for success. Everything from currency, customs, hardware, and culture, Plugg provides advice and guidance based on first-hand expat experiences living and doing business across multiple Latin American countries. Plugg Technologies is a trusted partner for businesses seeking future-ready tech solutions including cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital operations positions
Brian holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson and prior, was an expat in Argentina and a VP of Talent for several San Francisco startups with multiple successful exits (IPO & acquisitions). In his free time he supports foster kids and is a dedicated family man.
