Consumer Alert
How to recognize a fake Geek Squad renewal scam
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Scammers are at it again, impersonating well-known businesses and trying to rip people off. This time they’re pretending to be from Geek Squad, Best Buy’s tech support service. Here’s what we’re hearing about the scam and what to do if you see it.
You get a text message or email that says you were or will be charged hundreds of dollars to renew your Geek Squad membership. If you want to dispute the charge or cancel your membership, the message says you must call a phone number within 24 hours.
If you call the number — which you should not do — the scammer might ask for remote access to your computer. If you give it to them, they can install spyware programs on your computer, steal your online banking credentials, and drain money from your bank account.
Some scammers may ask for your bank account information to refund your money, then fake a transaction and make it look like they accidentally refunded you too much. To pay them back, they tell you to buy gift cards and give them the gift card numbers and PINs.
Scammers send alarming messages like this to rattle you. Don’t let them. If you think the message is legitimate, contact the company in question using a phone number you know is real. Do not use the number included in the message.
Also check your credit card or bank account for an unauthorized transaction. If you see one, report it to the institution and ask them to reverse it and give you back your money.
Find out what to do if you paid a scammer, or gave them your personal information or access to your computer.
If you see a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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Our Anatomy of an Imposter Scam blog series breaks down how to recognize, avoid, and report business and government imposter scams.
- Never move your money to “protect it.” That’s a scam
- What’s a verification code and why would someone ask me for it?
- Will your bank or investment fund stop a transfer to a scammer? Probably not
- Sure ways to spot a scammer
- Did you get a call or text about a suspicious purchase on Amazon? It’s a scam
- New tech support scammers want your life savings
- Did someone send you to a Bitcoin ATM? It’s a scam
They keep sending these emails to me to an email address that I know I did not use when I registered with Best Buy.
Not only geek squad but scammers are using email supposedly from Microsoft to get people to renew these products for exorbitant fees.
In reply to Not only geek squad but… by Catherine W
I also, on my other phone, recieve daily, numerous emails to one of my main accounts, and they are email addressed with an email with my name but added to and it's no email address of mine. I will report them as spam first thing. I do not ever click on the words in the email. Which are always large words in bright sky blue highlighted color! I also recieve daily messages from these same 5 numbers. Just last 4 #s are changed up. I get 5 to up to 20 a day!. Same thing I report spam and then block number. But not able to stop these daily messages and emails!!! They continue daily. I do not understand how they are getting thru my blocks!!I've also recieved receiptsvfrom aGeek Squad and also Amazon. They would not allow me to cancel the large orders. Or the membership. I just didn't call back
I received an email and promptly reported it to you. I wish I could share this on Facebook and NextDoor as this information should be made public. Thanks for the heads up.
In reply to I received an email and… by Jacque del Valle
You're free to share blog posts and other information from the FTC. All our information is in the public domain. You can send a link to this blog post, or copy part of the message to share, or add it to your own message. Thank you for helping to protect other people!
Not only geek squad but scammers are using email supposedly from Microsoft to get people to renew these products for exorbitant fees.
Scammers are also doing the same with Microsoft products
Idont fall for these scammers ihave a computer shop itlae mind to bit thanks fo4 the heads up
They're impersonating nearly everyone but Mastercard told me they didn't want to hear it--or rather that, forward it to them anymore--if you ever get hacked, or ransomed, thank them aw
also MacAfee will try to do it too
I have gotten 6 or 7 of these emails in the last week! People, don’t fall for these emails!
I keep getting pop up messages that I need to renew my web route security, even though you have checked & renewed it for me. HELP!!
I didn't see anything about how to identify these messages as fraud. I had a GS contract, so at first I thought it was for real. Then I checked the sender's address and could see immediately it was not a valid Geek Squad address.
I keep getting emails supposedly from Geek Squad (and others) saying they’ve renewed my service, and say what they charged… Ha! But I do check my bank account regularly also.
This happened to me last year. I did not lose anything to the scammers; but because they told me they took money from my bank, I became confused and rushed to my bank to stop payment on any withdrawal from them and it cost me $30. Actually, my bank scammed me also, because they did not tell me there would be a $30 bank charge to stop payment. I did not know that, but they should have told me anyway, instead of all of that cat and mouse smiling they do. Just a life lesson.
I get these email notices 2-3 times a year advising that my bank account is being charged for Geek Squad tech membership. I just ignore them but check my bank accounts for 2-4 weeks looking for any suspicious charges. So far, all clean.
I was scam by this exact type of notice, i lost $25,000 and still feel the pain. How can I recover this money?
why does the federal trade commission , with all their power and money, allow these 2 bit scammers to thrive and exist and continue to prosper to this day ? Take them all down and prosecute these thieves, DO IT NOW !!!
I have received two such emails. The first thanking me for my payment and the second telling me to activate their services. I ignored both knowing that I had never used nor requested anything from Geek Squad. Thanks for all the good info provided.
In reply to I have received two such… by Jo Anna
They hit me last year. Pretended they were calling from Amazon and wanted to put money back into my checking account. I believed it to be legit and followed along for a while. Then it hit me. Why would Amazon refund me money that I did not deserve. Immediately called my bank and even though it was Friday after hours someone did pick up. Went to the bank on Monday and told them what happened. She pulled up my checking and savings account numbers and handed me the printout. I knew immediately that they had gotten into the account since I don't usually keep that much money in checking -- $5,000. Had to close the accounts and reopen...even credit cards that were attached. What a nightmare.
Totally unrelated, we are in the aftermath of hurricane Ian and someone called from Comcast/Xfinity, remotely got into my computer - got suspicious and called Comcast. Advised what happened. The man I spoke with did not give me a yes or no as to whether the caller was legit. DON'T TRUST ANYONE IS NOW MY MOTO!
I received a email from Geek Squad with a authorization code for $349.99 from my account. I do have a Geek Squad account which alerted me to call their customer service because a just renewed my subscription a few months ago. Something wasn't right. Geek Squad was aware of these scams and asked me to report this to this website.
Just got one of these. I wasted 10 minutes trying to see if in fact I had signed for something like this with Bestbuy.I should have just Googled Geeksquad scam instead.
BTW I would think Bestbuy might want to make mention of these scams but who knows it might generate more of them than it swats down.
II have gottden several of these "notices" from scamers claming to be from GeekSquad. In your articles you give an link (REPORTFRAUD.FTC.GOV) report these attemts to scam us. I have tried several times to report these but get messages to "correct the email address".
Any suggestions?
In reply to II have gottden several of… by Andrew Brooks
The address www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov is a website where you can report fraud. When you see that in our blogs, click on the link and it will take you to the website where you can report. Or type www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the search bar of your computer and to the website. Thank you for reporting the scam attempts you see.
In February this year I suffered an over $3,000 loss to a fake Norton Antivirus company. They made transfers from my bank checking and savings accounts to various people. This was going on while I was on a flight from AZ to CA as my daughter gave me a 75th birthday party. I called and reported it to the bank then when I got back home I went into the bank and spoke with the bank manager. He told me I ok'd the transfers (?) and I was held responsible. Later someone advised me to call the Attorney General's office, I did and they sent me a senior tool kit regarding scammers, also I could have actually recovered the loss had I acted right away and had that information.
Just got one today!
I am getting a lists of people I don’t even know with text message that is hard to block one by one. Now—- it sends me a text message there has been complaints coming from my number.
I just got one of these Geek Squad emails today! I get emailed PDF invoices all day for work so I didn't think about it at first and opened the PDF file. But when I saw it was from "Geek Squad" I forwarded it to my husband and asked him if we actually owed it. He showed me later that the email address it was sent from was gmail- not what Best Buy would actually use. Could I have gotten a virus from opening the PDF file?
In reply to I just got one of these Geek… by Joan
If you think you clicked on a link or opened an attachment that downloaded harmful software, update your computer’s security software. Then run a scan and remove anything it identifies as a problem. Read more about email from scammers at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams.