Secure online shopping
Secure online shopping at Argos
Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode
Security of your personal details
How does your browser protect you and your data?
Secure online shopping at Argos
At Argos, we take security very seriously and make shopping online as safe as shopping in any of our stores.
Your browser will go into secure mode as soon as you access the 'checkout' or 'login' pages, i.e. before you enter any personal or payment details. You can check that you are shopping in a secure environment by looking for either a locked padlock or a key icon in the grey bar at the bottom of your screen.
Being in 'secure mode' means that all of your details are encrypted to help keep them secure. Encryption creates billions of code combinations to protect each transaction made on our site, so your card details cannot be viewed by anyone else using the Internet. If you are using one of the more recent browser versions, our site supports 128 bit encryption and therefore keeps your details as safe as possible at all times.
We only accept orders that are placed using Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This technology prevents you from inadvertently revealing personal information using an insecure connection. During payment, we also ask for your card billing address as an additional security check. New security checks like the card signature code have recently been introduced to protect your credit card details online.
No credit or debit card details are stored once your order has been processed. This is why you can save your favourite delivery address but need to enter your card details each time you order.
We recommend that you always close down your Internet browser when you have finished shopping online, especially if you use a shared PC. This will delete temporary Internet cookies from any sites that you may have visited.
If you have any further concerns about security, please Email customer services or call our customer service team on 0845 640 2020.
Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode
Argos.co.uk is now participating in Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode for added online payment security. These services are offered by Visa and MasterCard, in association with the bank that has issued your credit / debit card. It is aimed at protecting your details when shopping online by ensuring your card is not being used by someone else and is becoming a standard across all shopping websites.
If the credit / debit card you're using to pay for your order qualifies for one of these services (not all cards do), you will be taken to a page hosted by your card issuer. This is a completely secure process. The information you provide is completely private, will only be visible to you and your card issuer, and would never be shared with other parties.
If you haven't registered before and your card qualifies, you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to register securely and create a password for your card. This is not the same as the PIN number you use for your regular shopping. It's an online shopping code that you'll be able to use to identify yourself and your card when shopping online on Argos.co.uk or any other participating websites. It's basically the online equivalent of chip & pin which is used on the high-street. Once registered, you will be taken back to Argos.co.uk to complete your order. If you're unsure about this new service, you may be able to complete your order without registering but we recommend that you contact your card issuer to find out more about the service, as they will eventually require you to register to continue shopping online.
If you have already registered, you will be required to use your password on future online transactions.
If you would like to learn more about these services or have any difficulty with the process, please contact your card issuer who should be able to assist you, as Argos.co.uk are unfortunately not be able to help. Alternatively, you can always place your order by calling our home delivery order line.
Applicable card types: 
Security of your personal details
You may have seen in the press that some customers of banks and online businesses have been receiving fraudulent emails and/or pop-ups. These all have one thing in common: they request individuals to confirm their personal details, credit card details, or user name and password.
Argos may send you emails from time to time but we would never send an email asking for your security information or log on details, or direct you to a web page that asks for this information.
If you receive an email that appears to be from Argos that you suspect is fraudulent, do not click on any links contained within the email or provide any credit card or log on details. Please forward a copy to emailscams@argos.co.uk
How does your browser protect you and your data?
Most modern web browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Netscape, support 'secure mode' and standard security protocols.
Internet Explorer can warn you if the site you are about to send payment details to is secure or insecure. To make this happen, select OPTIONS on the VIEW menu and then click the SECURITY tab. Once all of the warning boxes have been ticked, Internet Explorer will automatically alert you each time you send your private details to another site.
If you use a Netscape browser, you should select SECURITY PREFERENCES from the OPTIONS menu and then click on the GENERAL tab. Tick all of the Security Alert boxes and again, you will be warned when you are sending details to secure and insecure sites.
Online security is constantly evolving so, if you are using older versions of Internet Explorer (version 4 or older versions of IE5), we recommend you update your browser to a later version of IE in order to take full advantage of the improved security features. If you'd like to update your browser, please visit the Microsoft website (Argos.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites. This will open a new window).