Fraudsters posing as Argos are sending fake text messages to customers in new scam

Don’t get caught out

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Criminals are sending a series of fake delivery text messages to customers posing as Argos.

In the scam, fraudsters tell customers they have a package waiting for them, followed by a URL which directs you to a website offering free iPhones in exchange for bank details.

Alternative versions of the scam include messages telling customers they are due a £180 refund for their "Argos card" and all they need to do to access the money is click on a link which subsequently asks for bank details.

Even if you don’t enter any information, the criminals may still be able to access personal information from your device via cookies, making it all the more crucial to be extra vigilant.

A number of Argos customers have been tweeting screenshots of the fraudulent messages to the British retailer's customer services Twitter account.

Responding to each message individually, Argos employees have confirmed they are aware of the scam and are warning customers against clicking on any URLs sent to them.

Speaking to Mirror Online, a spokesperson for Action Fraud explained this form of fraud is known as “smishing”.

“Fraudsters will send you a text message that asks you to reply with your personal or banking details, or to call or text a premium-rate number they have created to run up a large bill,” they explained.

“Contact like this is designed to convince you to hand over valuable personal details or your money.”

In order to protect yourself, the cyber crime reporting centre advise looking out for poor grammar, spelling or random capitalisation in messages, which could indicate the text is indeed fraudulent.

In response to news of the scam, an Argos spokesperson said: "Customers should always be mindful of phishing scams. These messages are not from Argos and we are advising customers to delete them."

If you need to report a scam you can call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or get in touch via their website.