Geek Squad Scam: How It Works
One resurfaced scam that has been making the rounds this week is the Geek Squad scam. It can take various forms, including the Geek Squad Number or the Geek Squad Renewal variations. It’s one of the typical phone scams making victims nation-wide every day.
The Geek Squad scam typically involves a caller or email claiming to be from Geek Squad, a reputable tech support and repair service, and offering to renew or update a subscription, fix a computer issue, or provide technical support. Please expose the names or phone numbers in the comments section if you have received one of these lately.
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The scammers often use fear tactics, such as threatening to disable the victim’s computer or account, to convince them to act quickly and provide personal information or payment.
The Geek Squad Number Variation
One common variation of the scam is the Geek Squad Number scam, where scammers set up fake Geek Squad phone numbers that appear legitimate to trick victims into calling them. They use Caller ID spoofing, so your phone screen even shows the name “Geek Squad”!
Once on the phone, the scammers may ask for remote access to the victim’s computer, install malware or ransomware, or steal personal information.
The fake Geek Squad email looks like this – see screenshot below:
The Renewal Hook
Another variation is the Geek Squad Renewal scam, where scammers send phishing emails or pop-up ads claiming the victim’s subscription to Geek Squad is expiring and urging them to click a link to renew. The link may lead to a fake website that looks like Geek Squad, where the victim is asked to provide personal and financial information.
To avoid falling victim to this Geek Squad scam or any other similar tech support scheme, be vigilant and cautious. Here are some tips to protect yourself:
- Don’t trust unsolicited calls or emails claiming to be from a reputable company like Geek Squad. Always verify the caller’s or sender’s identity before providing any personal or financial information.
- Never give remote access to your device (computer or phone) to anyone you don’t know or trust.
- Don’t install any software or program you didn’t initiate.
- Be wary of pop-up ads or emails claiming your subscription expires, especially if they contain urgent language or demand immediate action.
- Use reputable anti-virus and anti-malware software, and keep it up-to-date to protect against potential threats.
By staying alert and following these tips, you can help protect yourself and your personal information from the Geek Squad scam and other fraudulent schemes.
Geek Squad Renewal Scam: How To Report It
Let your close family and online friends know about this article. Feel free to share this page if it was helpful. If you believe you’ve been a victim of the Geek Squad scam or any other tech support scam, report it. You can do it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your local law enforcement agency. Use the portal below:
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That will include how to prevent fraud and information about the newest tools you can use to fight crime.
Meanwhile, feel free to educate yourself with some other Amazon fraud-related articles. They are listed under this paragraph, so that you know how to stay safe online. Last but not least, if you have any bad experiences, please contribute. Make sure to use the comments section below to expose other scammers.
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I received such an email today about renewing a protection plan, with a price tag of $339.37. call the number on the email and was put on hold, hung up and called geek squad which I should have done the first time, explain the situation to him and was told that by the phone number that they had in the email it was determined to be a scam. This is the second time a geek squad scam has been tried on me, first one last year, and squashed it right away. We are not safe!
I had Amazon liquidation pallets shop witch the name Elijah Laramore got me out of $1.100 and could not get it back so I have just been going over all of there sites and putting scammers on it then I found a couple of them that was with the real amazone anyway lets keep keeping kicking them out
I received an email from Geek Squad saying my protection plan had been successfully renewed for another year for $299.99. They provided a phone number for me to call within 24 hours for a full refund. The phone number listed was 815 516-1448. I was dumb enough to call. Instead of refunding the $299.99, they took $2,009.99 from my account and it took me over a month to get new accounts set up and notify creditors.
Hi Darlene…I received the same email but with a different phone number. I called them today and there was a lot of background noise, and I barely heard the guy at first. After he announced that I’d reached the Geek Squad, I told him I had never ordered anything and that I’d seen online that this was a scam. He replied with something that sounded like he was calling me a ‘b_tch’ and immediately hung up. I didn’t give him any information, so I don’t expect to see any charges going through my bank account or credit cards. How did they end up charging you $2.099.99? Did you provide them with your bank details? I was scammed three years ago, so I don’t trust anyone contacting me by phone or email any longer. I actually turned off the ringer on my landline, since spam/scam calls start coming in the morning and continue coming in until the evening. Thankfully, it’s not as bad on my cell phone. I’m sorry you had that bad experience. I truly can relate, and I lost thousands more dollars than you did.🙁
I have gotten several of these scam emails, all from different random email addresses, telling me that they are going to charge me to renew a Geek Squad subscription. They don’t use my name, just the first part of my email address, like how some scammers use “Dear Customer.” Some have obvious grammar mistakes. They all include the incorrect phrase, “Please our help desk,” leaving out the word “call.” They then all include a phone number in big bold font. Obviously, they want people to freak out thinking that money will be taken out of their account and call the number, only to be connected to a scammer.
If you get one of these, do NOT call the number in the email! If you are concerned and are not sure if it is a legitimate email, contact your local Geek Squad.
Renewal eMail showing posted charges and providing a phone number to call –
(888)991-6048.
eMail address according to Mozilla Thunderbird was: [email protected]
Received an email from the GEEK SQUAD PROTECTION with regards to an invoice. I do not have a coverage with them.