Argos account takeover fraud surges 323% as criminals exploit stolen credentials

What is this scam?

Report Fraud (the service that replaced Action Fraud in December 2025) has issued an urgent warning after criminals gained unauthorised access to Argos customer accounts, with reports surging 323% between April and May 2026 — 652 reports in May alone and 1,175 since January. Fraudsters use login credentials stolen from unrelated data breaches to take over accounts where customers have reused passwords, then place online orders for high-value goods and collect them in-store via click-and-collect. Argos customers are urged to change their password immediately and use a unique one not shared with other services.

Example scam message

Red flags to look out for

• The message creates urgency — threatening a fine, missed delivery, or account closure.
• Links lead to unofficial domains that don't match the real company's website.
• You weren't expecting this message and can't verify the event it references.
• It asks you to confirm payment details or personal information via a link.
• The sender's number or email address doesn't match the company's official contact.

What to do if you receive this

1. Do not call any numbers or click any links in the message.
2. Log in to your account directly via the official website or app to check for any real alerts.
3. Forward the message to 7726 or email report@phishing.gov.uk.
4. Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.