Fight scams, block hackers, and prevent threats with Avast Mobile Security
- Security
- Privacy
- Performance
When you visit Best Buy for tech support, you can count on the Geek Squad experts. But should you trust emails claiming to be from Geek Squad? Learn how to spot and report Geek Squad scams and use strong digital security software to help protect against the risks of malware and other dangers lurking in fraudulent emails.
Geek Squad scams are phishing attacks where cybercriminals pose as tech support representatives from Best Buy to trick victims into clicking malicious links, downloading harmful software, paying for fake services, or sharing sensitive personal information.
These scams are often carried out over email or text, with scammers sending messages that look like legitimate communications from Geek Squad but contain requests for information, links to fraudulent websites, or fake billing details.
If you fall for a fake Geek Squad email or text and click a malicious link or provide personal details in a reply, the scammers may be able to infect your device with malware, launch account takeover attacks, or even steal your identity.
There were approximately 52,000 scam reports made to the FTC in 2023 involving Geek Squad or Best Buy impersonation, making it the most impersonated company. In contrast, there were only 34,000 reports of scams involving Amazon impersonation and 10,000 reports of PayPal impersonation.
No, Geek Squad is a legitimate tech support and repair service operated by the electronics and appliances retailer Best Buy. However, some scammers run spoofing schemes involving the brand, impersonating Geek Squad in emails, phone calls, or texts to deceive people into falling for fraudulent schemes. For instance, there was a surge of spoofed Geek Squad emails in 2021, claiming fake service renewals and demanding payments for services never purchased.
Many Geek Squad scams involve the scammer sending messages that create a sense of urgency, prompting the recipient to share sensitive information, click a link, or download software that grants remote access to their devices.
Here are the main steps in a typical Geek Squad tech support scam:
Scammers obtain your email: Scammers might get access to your email address on the dark web following a data breach, through social media scraping, by purchasing email lists from data brokers, or by targeting you in an information phishing scheme.
You receive a phishing email: The scammer sends an email that appears to be from Geek Squad, using a similar address and branded template. It may request customer information, ask for identity confirmation, provide an invoice, or mention an unauthorized subscription renewal or membership charge.
You feel pressured or confused: Scam emails are often crafted to create a sense of urgency or confusion, such as claiming you've been charged for a service you didn't sign up for or that your subscription is about to expire. This social engineering tactic is designed to pressure you into acting quickly, without thinking.
The email encourages contact: The message usually includes fake Geek Squad contact details, like a phone number or email address, and may encourage you to get in touch to resolve the issue. This step is crucial for scammers as it sets the stage for direct interaction.
You interact with the scammers: If you call the fake support line or respond to the email, you’ll reach the scammer posing as a Geek Squad representative. They may be polite and sound professional, but that’s only because they’re trying to convince you that they’re legitimate.
The scammer achieves their goal: The scammer you’re talking with will request sensitive personal and financial information, a direct payment, or remote access to your PC that may allow them to install harmful malware that can monitor your activity or steal your information.
Once scammers have your details, they’ll contact you with false information claiming to be from Best Buy’s Geek Squad.
Common approaches used in Geek Squad scams include fake tech support offers, renewal emails, and refund notifications. Scammers use these pretenses to trick victims into sharing personal data, installing malware on their devices, or providing financial information.
Here’s more detail on some of the most common types of Geek Squad scams to watch out for:
Tech support scams: Scammers pose as Geek Squad technicians, claiming your device has issues. They request remote access to "fix" the problem but instead steal data, install malware, or request money in exchange for their “services.”
Membership scams: Fraudsters claim you've signed up for a Geek Squad membership and either demand payment or pressure you to provide personal and financial information to "cancel" the fake subscription.
Renewal scams: Scammers claim your Geek Squad protection plan is expiring and pressure you to renew immediately. They may direct you to a fake renewal webpage that tricks you into providing financial details or clicking a link that installs malware.
Invoice or billing scams: An invoice scam email shows proposed charges for products or services you didn't purchase, pressuring you to dispute the charges by getting in touch with the scammer, who then tries to steal your information.
Geek Squad scam emails may look like real invoicesPassword protection scams: The scammer claims you need to reset your Geek Squad account due to suspicious activity. They direct you to a fake website, which may look identical to the real one, to capture your login credentials so they can get into your real account.
Fake antivirus software scams: Scammers offer “free” Geek Squad security services, using a fake virus warning to create urgency and prompt you to download fake antivirus software. This is often spyware, which can compromise your device’s privacy and capture sensitive information.
PayPal payment scams: Fraudsters send fake PayPal receipts for Geek Squad services, prompting you to dispute the charges you don’t recognize. They then attempt to steal your PayPal login or financial details, under the pretense of helping you.
Order scams: A scammer sends a fake Best Buy order confirmation email for products you didn’t purchase, hoping you’ll click a link to dispute the charges. Instead, the link will send you to a page that phishes for personal and financial information they can use in other attacks.
Refund scams: Criminals offer fake refunds for Geek Squad services and request your bank details so they can process the return. They use this information to steal funds from your account.
Prize scams: Scammers send fake emails claiming you've won a prize or gift from Geek Squad or Best Buy and ask for your personal or financial information to claim it. The goal is to steal your data for use in a subsequent fraud attack.
In addition to Geek Squad phishing emails, fraudsters may also reach out via a spoofed phone number that mimics the real Geek Squad hotline as part of a vishing ploy. Like email scams, these calls tend to follow one of these basic scam templates, and they’re designed to steal your money or personal information.
If you suspect you’ve received a fake Geek Squad email that may be part of a scam, pay close attention to the sender’s email address, look out for inconsistencies or grammatical mistakes, and be wary of requests for sensitive information.
Here’s more detail on warning signs that may help you identify a Geek Squad scam:
Check the email address and contact details: If they don't match the contact details listed on Geek Squad's official website or contain suspicious extra numbers or characters, they might indicate that the message is part of a scam.
Impersonal or unusual greetings: Scammers often use generic greetings like "Dear customer,” “Dear Sir or Madam,” or other awkward phrases. Authentic Geek Squad communications will almost always include your name or reference relevant account details.
Inconsistent names or links: Be wary of small differences in links or email addresses that don’t look quite right. For example, instead of receiving an email from support@geeksquad.com, you might get one from support@geeksquadd-service.com or geek-squad@techhelp.com. Scammers often use lookalike addresses or domains to deceive potential victims.
Suspicious links or attachments: Look out for file attachments with extensions like .zip, .exe, or .scr. If you notice any suspicious attachments, avoid opening them as they may contain malware. And if the destination of a link looks suspicious, don’t click it until you’ve verified the sender is legitimate.
Grammar and language errors: Poor grammar and spelling mistakes are major warning signs of a scam. These errors are unlikely to be present in authentic Geek Squad emails.
Urgent or threatening language: Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to act immediately or face negative consequences. This tactic is meant to prevent you from thinking critically about your actions, and it’s a consistent scam red flag.
Incorrect transaction or order details: Check any transaction and Best Buy order details provided. If the currency or amount doesn’t match your actual purchase, or you never actually bought anything, it’s almost certainly a scam.
Requests for sensitive information: Geek Squad will never ask for your account password, payment information, or other sensitive personal data via email, which means any requests for these details are likely to be part of a scam.
Offers that seem too good to be true: If a Geek Squad email claims you’ve won a prize for a competition you never entered or offers an unbelievable deal, it’s probably a scam.
You can help stop spam emails and scams from plaguing your inbox by following internet safety best practices, using antivirus protection and a secure web browser, and enabling two-factor authentication on your accounts.
Here are some key tips you can use to help protect against Best Buy scam emails:
Only contact Geek Squad through their official website or the Best Buy customer service portal.
Use a secure browser like Avast secure browser with built-in phishing protection to get alerts of potentially fraudulent websites.
Avoid sharing your email address or phone number unless essential to minimize the exposure of your contact details.
Set up or update your email spam filter to help reduce the number of potential scams that make it into your inbox.
Consider using separate email addresses for different purposes, like one for personal correspondence and another for subscriptions.
Never click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious senders to help protect against phishing or malware attacks.
Check and update your privacy settings across all your online accounts, including social media.
Secure your accounts by enabling two-factor authentication on your key online accounts to make it more difficult for scammers to get unauthorized access.
Install and use robust anti-malware software like Avast Free Antivirus to help reduce the risk of your device being infected with malware or spyware.
If you encounter a Geek Squad scam, report it promptly by contacting the relevant authorities and third parties such as your email provider, the Federal Trade Commission, or law enforcement. Be careful to avoid opening any suspicious links or attachments in the process.
Here are six ways you can report a Geek Squad scam:
Report to Best Buy: Contact the real Geek Squad directly by emailing the official Best Buy investigation department at abuse@BestBuy.com or calling (888) 237-8289, providing as many details as possible.
Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Visit the Report Fraud FTC website and complete the online form with details about the internet scam. The FTC uses these reports to investigate large-scale scams and fraudulent schemes.
Report to your email provider: You can report a Geek Squad phishing email using the reporting feature built into your email client. In Gmail, for example, you can mark an email as spam or phishing by selecting the three dots next to the message, clicking Report, then selecting Move to spam.
File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Reporting Geek Squad scam emails to IC3, a division of the FBI, helps track cybercrime, support investigations, and improve public awareness and prevention efforts. Visit the IC3 website and submit a detailed report outlining the incident.
Report to the Anti-Phishing Work Group (APWG): The APWG is a not-for-profit industry association that combats phishing and spoofing. You can report a Geek Squad scam by forwarding the email to reportphishing@apwg.org or by visiting the official APWG website.
Provide as much detail as possible when reporting Geek Squad or other scams, including the sender's email address, the content of the scam, and any other relevant information that could help authorities track and stop the scammers.
If you fall victim to a Geek Squad scam, key steps to help protect yourself include reporting the fraud case to your bank and other relevant authorities, freezing your credit or any compromised financial accounts, and scanning for malware to identify privacy risks.
Here’s a more detailed guide to the key steps to take after being scammed:
Contact your bank and credit card companies to report potential fraud and freeze accounts if necessary.
Update your login credentials for any potentially compromised accounts using strong, unique passwords. Enable two-factor authentication where possible for extra account security.
Consider freezing your credit or placing a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to prevent new accounts being opened in your name.
Run a thorough anti-malware scan on your devices to detect and remove malicious software that may have been installed as part of the scam.
Monitor your bank statements, credit card bills, and credit reports for unauthorized activity in the weeks and months following the scam.
Report the scam to the relevant authorities, providing evidence of what happened, like emails and phone numbers, if requested.
Consider subscribing to a credit monitoring or identity theft protection service to get ongoing proactive alerts of potentially fraudulent activity.
Inform family and friends about the scam, especially if your phone or email contacts may have been compromised.
Acting quickly and systematically following a scam can help minimize damage and protect your digital identity and finances against further risks.
Online security software can help safeguard against some of the most dangerous risks of Geek Squad email scams and other online threats. Download Avast Free Antivirus to act as your digital guardian — offering award-winning antivirus protection that helps block malicious websites and links, and quarantine malware in real time, before it can impact your device.
