If you received an email claiming to be from Geek Squad informing you of a transaction made to your account, but you don’t remember purchasing anything, this is likely part of the Geek Squad email scam. You may have already heard about it from friends or colleagues, but what exactly is the Geek Squad email scam?
We’ll explain how this scam works, how you can avoid falling for it, and what you should do next if you fall victim.
What is the Geek Squad Email Scam?
The Geek Squad scam is an email scam in which 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 about the renewal of a subscription or an order that is unknown to the recipients.
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 appear legitimate, making sure their target believes them. Additionally, scammers include their numbers and tell recipients to contact them if they need help with their order.
Targets panic when told of a large transaction and call scammers quickly to get more information about the transaction or cancel it in time. After that, the scam can take various forms, but the ultimate goal of cybercriminals is to extract as much money as possible from their victims.
How does the Geek Squad email scam work?
As soon as the recipient’s contacts call the indicated number, the scammers claim that a transaction has been made from their account. To trick their victims, scammers explain that they can cancel the transaction. As a natural reaction to that suggestion, the recipients agree.
For starters, they ask recipients for their personal details, but officials should never ask for private details like credit card details, social security numbers, etc. on the phone.
Old-school scammers sometimes explain to their targets that they cannot cancel subscriptions and must access the recipient’s computer to do so. The cybercriminal may claim that a strange problem on the PC led to this transaction. They suggest giving them remote access to your computer to fix the problem because they fear it might happen again.
Once their targets grant them access, they are at the mercy of the scammers as to how far they will go to scam them. They may conduct large banking transactions, install malware to scam recipients again, request payment for remote support they have provided, or charge “termination fees.”
How to spot the Geek Squad email scam
Follow these tips and checks to distinguish a fraudulent email from an original and real one:
- Check the content of the email to spelling or grammatical errors.
- Inspect the scammer’s email address and see if it contains the misspelled company name or if it seems rather generic and therefore unofficial.
- Check to see if the scammer addressed you by name. It is a scam if the name is not mentioned anywhere, or if it is only called “Dear Sir/Madam”.
- Never click links in emails. If you’re not sure, use a link-checking website to make sure you’re not being redirected to an unofficial random address.
- Is the transaction in the same currency as your bank account? The email is likely from a scammer if it is different.
- Subscribers generally have a seven-day period to cancel their subscriptions. Beware of emails that ask you to contact them within a day or two – the scammer is trying to cause you to panic and make a mistake.
- Was the email you received from Geek Squad sent to the same email address you signed up with?
- Does the email ask you to reply at the same email address as the official support or a random one?
- Check if it 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’ve received an email purporting to be from Geek Squad and you’re worried it might be a scam, you’ve done half the work to avoid it.
Do what you do, do not send personal data by email or any other means, and certainly do not reply to the same email or call the given number.
You should follow basic techniques to avoid falling for scams, in particular: don’t click links and don’t download attachments. Raise awareness about the scam, but don’t forward the email, in case someone else falls for it. In fact, your best bet is delete email completely.
If you share your computer with someone else, block the sender to prevent them from falling victim to the scam by mistake.
Long story short, then, ignoring Geek Squad scam email and blocking the sender is the best way to avoid it.
What to do if you fall victim to the Geek Squad email scam
In case you fall victim to the Geek Squad email scam, here’s what to do:
- Don’t do anything they tell you to do if you’ve only talked to the scammers.
- To prevent scammers from contacting you again, block the number you just called.
- Call your bank and freeze your funds if you have shared your personal details, such as credit card information.
- Check your computer for viruses if you have downloaded software or any files from email.
- You shouldn’t use the same login details across multiple accounts, but many people do anyway. Change your login details immediately if you have registered using a link that scammers sent you using your email address.
- To prevent scammers from unknowingly recording you, temporarily disable your webcam if it’s enabled.
Avoid Geek Squad Email Scammers
Now you should be aware of scammers’ traps and not fall victim to them. While you are doing everything you can to protect yourself, it is equally important to raise awareness among your family and friends.
The red flags above, which show you how to spot a Geek Squad email scam, apply to other phishing scams as well. So watch out for them and avoid them at all costs.