What is the Geek Squad email scam?

The Geek Squad email scam is a phishing scam where cybercriminals pose as Geek Squad employees. Geek Squad is a subsidiary of American electronics retailer Best Buy and provides technical support to Best Buy customers.

Geek Squad scammers use fake invoice numbers, billing information, renewal dates, and other order details to make their emails appear genuine, and then try to lure victims into interacting with malicious email links and downloading malware. .

How Geek Squad Email Scams Work

Geek Squad scams take three forms, all involving phishing emails and social engineering tactics.

Automatic renewal scam

In this version of the Geek Squad scam, cybercriminals send you a fake email with warnings about the impending automatic renewal of your Best Buy subscription or Geek Squad membership. You may not have such a subscription, of course, but the email hopes to spark fears that you've accidentally signed up for one and are now facing a costly renewal fee.