What are the red flags of this scam?

You receive an order confirmation email or text for something you did not buy — criminals placed the order after logging into your account • Your account shows saved addresses or payment methods you do not recognise — the criminal may have added their own for future orders • You receive a one-time passcode or password reset email you did not request — your account is being targeted • You use the same password on this retailer account as on any other site — breached passwords are tested against dozens of retailers automatically • Items ordered are high-value, easily resold electronics, gaming equipment, or appliances — common targets for credential-stuffing gangs

What should I do if this happened to me?

Log into your retailer account immediately and change your password to a strong unique one. If the login is blocked, contact the retailer's fraud team directly • Enable two-factor authentication on your retail account if the retailer offers it • Cancel any orders you did not place by calling the retailer's customer service and telling them the orders are fraudulent • Check haveibeenpwned.com with your email address to see which data breaches exposed your password • Use a different, unique password for every website — a password manager makes this practical • Report to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

HIGH phishing Last reported: 30 Sept 2026 Share

Criminals use your leaked password to log into your Argos or retail account and pick up orders in-store

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Using passwords from past data breaches, criminals log into UK retailer accounts, place orders, and collect them via Click and Collect before victims notice. Report Fraud saw 1,175 Argos account fraud reports in early 2026, a 323% surge in May alone.

Using passwords from past data breaches, criminals log into UK retailer accounts, place orders, and collect them via Click and Collect before victims notice. Report Fraud saw 1,175 Argos account fraud reports in early 2026, a 323% surge in May alone.

Also known as: Argos account fraud UK, credential stuffing retail scam, click and collect fraud UK, retail account takeover UK, Argos hacked account orders

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Log into your retailer account immediately and change your password to a strong unique one. If the login is blocked, contact the retailer's fraud team directly
2 Enable two-factor authentication on your retail account if the retailer offers it
3 Cancel any orders you did not place by calling the retailer's customer service and telling them the orders are fraudulent
4 Check haveibeenpwned.com with your email address to see which data breaches exposed your password
5 Use a different, unique password for every website — a password manager makes this practical
6 Report to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Red flags

⚠ You receive an order confirmation email or text for something you did not buy — criminals placed the order after logging into your account
⚠ Your account shows saved addresses or payment methods you do not recognise — the criminal may have added their own for future orders
⚠ You receive a one-time passcode or password reset email you did not request — your account is being targeted
⚠ You use the same password on this retailer account as on any other site — breached passwords are tested against dozens of retailers automatically
⚠ Items ordered are high-value, easily resold electronics, gaming equipment, or appliances — common targets for credential-stuffing gangs

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources