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WHAT IS THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM? HOW TO AVOID IT

By Shan Abdul
Updated Dec 19, 2022


Have you received an email from Geek Squad confirming a transaction that you
haven't placed? This might be a scam. Here's what to do.


Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our
site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

If you've received an email claiming to be from Geek Squad informing you of a
transaction made on your account, but you don't recall buying anything, this is
likely part of the Geek Squad email scam. You might have heard about it already
from friends or colleagues, but what exactly is the Geek Squad email scam?

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We'll explain how this scam works, how you can avoid falling for it, and what
should you do next if you fall victim .


WHAT IS THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM?



The Geek Squad scam is an email scam where cybercriminals send a fake email
pretending it is an official transaction confirmation from Geek Squad, a
subsidiary of Best Buy, a well-known multinational consumer electronics company.
The email contains information regarding a subscription renewal or order that
recipients are unaware of.

Scammers use fake invoice numbers, renewal dates, and other order details to
make the email appear genuine. They use official logos and promotional banners
to make the email look legit, ensuring their target believes them. Furthermore,
scammers include their numbers and tell recipients to contact them if they need
assistance with their order.

The targets panic when told about a large transaction and call the scammers
quickly to find out more about the transaction or cancel it in time. After that,
the scam can take several forms, but the cybercriminals' end goal is to extract
as much money as possible from their victims.





HOW DOES THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM WORK?



As soon as the recipient contacts calls the listed number, scammers claim that a
transaction has taken place from their account. To fool their victims, scammers
explain that they can cancel the transaction. As a natural reaction to that
suggestion, the recipients agree.

To begin with, they ask recipients for their personal details—but officials
should never ask for private data like credit card details, social security
numbers, etc. on the phone.

Old-school scammers sometimes explain to their targets that they cannot cancel
subscriptions from their end and must access the recipient's computer to do so.
The cybercriminal may claim that a strange PC problem led to this transaction.
They suggest giving them remote access to your computer to fix the issue because
they fear it may happen again.

Once their targets grant them access, they are at the scammers' mercy with how
far they will go to scam them. They may make huge bank transactions, install
malicious software to scam recipients again, ask for payment for remote support
they have provided, or charge "cancellation fees".





HOW TO SPOT THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM



Follow these tips and checks to distinguish a scam email from an original, real
one:

 1. Check the email content for spelling or grammar errors.
 2. Inspect the scammer's email address and see if it contains the misspelled
    company name or if it looks pretty generic and so not official.
 3. Check if the scammer addressed you by name. It's a scam if no name is
    mentioned anywhere, or you are only addressed as "Dear Sir/Madam."
 4. Never click on links in emails. If you're not sure, use a link-checking
    website to make sure they don't redirect you to a random, unofficial
    address.
 5. Is the transaction in the same currency as your bank account? The email is
    likely from a scammer if it's different.
 6. Subscribers usually have a seven-day period to cancel their subscriptions.
    Be wary of emails that tell you to contact them within one to two days—the
    scammer is trying to cause you to panic and make a mistake.
 7. Is the email you received from Geek Squad sent to the same email address you
    signed up with?
 8. Does the email ask you to reply on the same email address as official
    support or a random one?
 9. Check if this is a scam by confirming that no transaction has been made from
    your bank account.





HOW TO AVOID THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM



If you have received an email supposedly from Geek Squad and have concerns that
it might be a scam, you have done half the job of avoiding it.

Whatever you do, don't send personal details via email or any other medium, and
certainly don't reply to the same email or call the number given.

You need to follow basic techniques to avoid falling for scams, notably: don't
click on links, and don't download attachments. Raise awareness of the scam, but
don't forward the email on, in case someone else actually falls for it. In fact,
your best bet is to delete the email altogether.

If you share the computer with someone else, block the sender to prevent them
from mistakenly falling victim to the scam.

To sum it up, then, ignoring the Geek Squad scam email and blocking the sender
is the best way to avoid it.




WHAT TO DO IF YOU BECOME VICTIM OF THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAM

In case you become a victim of the Geek Squad email scam, here is what you
should do:

 1. Don't act on anything they tell you to do if you have only spoken with the
    scammers.
 2. To avoid scammers contacting you again, block the number you just called.
 3. Call your bank and freeze your funds if you've shared your personal data,
    such as credit card information.
 4. Check your computer for viruses if you've downloaded software or any files
    from the email.
 5. You shouldn't use the same login details on numerous accounts, but many
    people do anyway. Change your login details immediately if you have signed
    up using a link scammers sent you using your email address.
 6. To prevent scammers from recording you unknowingly, temporarily disable your
    webcam if it's enabled.





AVOID THE GEEK SQUAD EMAIL SCAMMERS

You should now be aware of scammers' traps and won't fall victim to them. As you
do your best to protect yourself, it's equally important to raise awareness
among your family and friends.

The red flags above, showing you how to spot a Geek Squad email scam, also apply
to other phishing scams. So watch out for them and avoid them at all costs.


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Related Topics
 * Security
 * Internet
 * Scams
 * Phishing
 * Online Security

About The Author
Shan Abdul (372 Articles Published)


Shan Abdul is a Staff Writer at MUO. Having used Windows for over a decade, he's
accumulated plenty of experience with the OS. He's been writing on a variety of
Windows topics for over three years, incorporating his expertise to teach
readers how to get the most out of their Windows devices and resolve issues with
the operating system.


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