The Geek Squad scam poses a potentially serious threat to anyone with an email account, whether it be Outlook, Gmail, etc. The Geek Squad cyberattack comes in various forms, though they all usually involve some aspect of phishing messages.
Falling victim to a Geek Squad scam can put your personal data, devices, and finances at risk. If you fall victim to a Geek Squad scam, do not waive the white flag of defeat. Contact Digital Forensics for assistance. We have the tools and expertise to help.
What Is the Geek Squad Scam?
The Geek Squad scam is generally considered to be an email phishing scam where cybercriminals pretend to be representatives from Geek Squad and/or Best Buy.
The Geek Squad scam emails may contain fake invoice numbers, billing information, renewal dates, etc. to try and make the emails appear legitimate. The objective is to lure victims into interacting with malicious email links and downloading malware.
How Does the Geek Squad Scam Work?
Generally speaking, the Geek Squad scam appears in three distinct forms, though all involve some aspect of phishing emails and social engineering tactics.
Let’s take a look at each.
Auto-renewal scam
In this iteration of the Geek Squad scam, you will receive a fake email with warnings about an upcoming auto-renewal of your Best Buy subscription or Geek Squad membership. The objective of the email is to trigger you to take action to either renew or cancel your subscription/membership.
To cancel your subscription (or membership) and avoid making a large annual payment, the Geek Squad scam email will urge you to click on a link. That link will take you to a page that has been designed to look like an authentic Best Buy website.
You would then be prompted to input your credit card details and social security number to “cancel” the subscription. This sensitive personal and financial information will then go straight to the Geek Squad scammer.
Fake antivirus software scam
In this version of the Geek Squad scam, you will likely receive an email with purported warnings about recent malware infections among Best Buy or Geek Squad customers. To help keep you safe, the email will contain an offer for free antimalware software that must be downloaded to your device.
In the event you click the link, you will be downloading a piece of malware. This malicious program has the capacity to infect your device, gain remote access to your system, steal your data, and even gain access to your bank accounts.
Password reset scam
Certain Geek Squad scam emails attempt to gain access to your Best Buy account by getting you to provide a new password. In this version of the scam, the phishing email will direct you to reset your password.
The email may claim to be a “safety measure” due to suspicious activity on your account. In the event you follow the password reset link, you will likely be directed to a page where you input your current password and “new” password as part of a reset process.
Doing so will then expose your login credentials to the scammer. Since many people recycle their online passwords, the scammer can use this information to not only try and access your Best Buy account, but other accounts (e.g., bank accounts, social media accounts, and so forth).
If you are unsure about what should be done with the Geek Squad phishing emails once they’ve been identified, here is some guidance: report the suspicious Geek Squad email to your email provider (e.g., Gmail has a simple drop-down menu option that allows you to report an email as potential phishing). Next, delete the email.
How Do I Identify a Geek Squad Scam Email?
There are some telltale signs and indicators that a Geek Squad email is actually a phishing scam. Those signs include:
- Grammar or spelling mistakes. It is uncommon for official notifications from a large company like Geek Squad or Best Buy to contain glaring spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.
- Sender has an odd email address: If you notice anything unusual about the sender’s email account, such as a non-Geek Squad domain or a series of random letters or numbers, this could be an indicator that you are dealing with a Geek Squad scammer.
- Urgent action required: Geek Squad scammers often try to create a false sense of urgency with the goal of getting you to take action before fully realizing what is going on. For example, by claiming that you are about to be charged an expensive renewal fee, the scammer is trying to pressure you into giving them information without considering the possibility that it’s a phishing scam.
- How you are addressed in the email: Scam emails are usually sent out in large batches rather than specifically targeted toward one individual. This means the emails are usually addressed generically (e.g., “Dear Sir/Madam”). This is another indicator that you could be dealing with a Geek Squad scammer.
Indicators You Are Being Targeted by Scammers
These are some telltale signs you are being targeted by an individual or group in the hopes you fall victim to a Geek Squad scam:
- You receive an invoice or renewal notice for Geek Squad services or your Best Buy account that you never requested or signed up for.
- You receive an unexpected email or phone call claiming your device is infected with a virus.
- The Geek Squad scammer requests remote access to your device to “fix” the supposed problem.
- You receive an unsolicited phone call claiming to be from Geek Squad or another tech support company. Companies like Geek Squad and Best Buy rarely initiate direct contact.
- You receive an email containing suspicious-looking links, or the sender’s email address is not from an official Geek Squad account.
How You Can Protect Yourself From the Geek Squad Scam
There are ways to avoid becoming a victim of a Geek Squad scam. Below are some preventative measures to consider implementing to protect yourself:
- Verify the email address is from Geek Squad’s official support team before responding. Scammers often use lookalike addresses.
- Do not click on suspicious-looking links or attachments from unfamiliar senders. If possible, scan the links/files with an online analysis tool.
- Protect your home and mobile devices with reputable antivirus software containing real-time monitoring and malware removal.
- Block the email accounts that send suspicious Geek Squad emails
- For verification purposes, consider contacting Geek Squad directly through their official website or customer service hotline.
- Never share personal or financial information through unsecured channels such as email.
How Digital Forensic Services Can Help
If you are being targeted by nefarious individuals or you fell victim to a Geek Squad scam, consider seeking professional assistance from our team at Digital Forensics Corp. We are fully capable and ready to help you through this challenging time. We can assist in navigating the situation, assessing the scope of impact of the scam, and working toward a resolution.
With a 24/7 team of digital investigators, we offer immediate assistance if you are being targeted by Geek Squad scammers. Our digital forensic services are here to help you develop a comprehensive action plan to address your concerns and provide any evidentiary needs that the authorities may have. We can provide a myriad of specialized services designed to help you when encountering a Geek Squad scam.
Our experienced digital forensic experts utilize proprietary technology to reveal IP addresses, geolocations, specific devices used to log into accounts, unique serial numbers of network cards and browsers used, and much more. This means if you fall victim to a Geek Squad scam, we may be able to help identify the perpetrator.
In many instances of online scamming (e.g., phishing), we have achieved success in helping individuals who have been targeted by disreputable individuals and organizations, including those perpetrating Geek Squad scam.
Whether you need immediate assistance with our ASAP service — delivering a comprehensive forensic report in just 24 hours — or prefer a more extended 30-day service for in-depth assistance and remediation, we tailor our offerings to fit your specific needs, including financial needs.
Our expertise can help in identifying an online scammer and mitigating the impact if any of your personal or financial information was accessed by a nefarious individual, or group.
After your initial service, if you’re worried about being scammed in the future, we stand ready to offer actionable advice and guidance. We know that being a victim of a Geek Squad scam can impact your mental health and well-being. Above all, we’re here to be a partner and support you with our forensic services and cyber security expertise.
Don’t go through the ordeal of getting scammed alone. If you feel embarrassed, don’t be. Many people have fallen victim to a Geek Squad scam. We are here to help. Reach out to our team of digital investigators today to get your questions answered. Discover how we can assist you and provide insight on how to fight back against online scammers.
Sources:
Online Identity Theft | Digital Forensics Corporation
Geek Squad scam in 2024: how to spot and remove it
Geek Squad scams. All you need to know about them to stay safe | Bitdefender
