Geek Squad Email Scam: How To Spot It And Stay Protected

Scams have become something of an inevitable part of life for anyone with an online presence — or public address or phone number — covering everything from fraudulent calls about legal actions to fake Amazon emails, all in an attempt to trick someone into giving the scammer money (in one form or another) or personal details.

Even Best Buy's in-house tech support service, Geek Squad, is being impersonated, with would-be con artists leveraging its name and implied technological importance to make a quick buck or con people out of the kinds of personal information they can later use to make a quick buck.

Much like other similar scams, the idea is to catch targets on the back foot in the hopes that the temporary worry their (fake) messages cause will prevent further scrutiny. Fortunately, also much like other similar scams, there are several telltale signs of illegitimacy if you know what to look for.

Many Geek Squad scams take the form of either an email or text message that say you either will be or just have been charged for a membership renewal, and it's going to "cost" you hundreds of dollars, but you can get in touch to fix the problem. At that point, they may ask for banking info or request remote access to your computer.

1. Never (ever) respond to the email, call any supplied numbers, or follow any URLs if you have even the slightest uncertainty about the message. Instead, reach out to Geek Squad using official methods (email, phone, website, etc.) you know are legitimate.
2. Ask yourself, do you even have a Geek Squad membership (Best Buy Total, $179.99 per year)? If not, it's highly unlikely that you're being charged for renewal.
3. Pay close attention to the message. Does the supposed fee line up with actual membership costs, or are there oddities in the text or presentation that don't appear official?
4. Check any possible credit card or bank account balances on your own to see if there are any charges. If there are any charges, reach out to your bank or credit card company to dispute it.

As with most scams of this nature, it's extremely important to take a moment to collect yourself before attempting to address anything. It can be easy to overlook some warning signs when in a panic, and that's exactly what these scammers are hoping for.