Geek Squad Scam Alert: How to Spot, Avoid, and Block Phishing Emails

Introduction

Geek Squad is a tech support and repair service owned by Best Buy. Its services are quite popular, especially in the United States. And like any other popular company, Geek Squad also gets impersonated by scammers a lot. Many people report receiving Geek Squad email scam messages that attempt to steal money, personal information, or device access.

Sometimes, scammers trick you into giving them remote access to your computer and installing viruses or spyware on it. So, it's important to be aware of the Geek Squad scam and stay vigilant.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

• Common types of Geek Squad email scams
• How to recognize fake Geek Squad emails
• What to do if you receive or fall for a scam
• How to block Geek Squad scam emails permanently

Types of Geek Squad Scams

Scammers use various tactics to trick users. Below are some types of Geek Squad email scams circulating on the Internet.

• Refund Scam
  You may receive a fake invoice claiming you purchased a service from Geek Squad and your bank account was charged a large amount. They include a fake customer support number in the email to refund the purchase. Oftentimes, people panic and call the fake number in the email to cancel the purchase without checking their bank account first to see if the deduction was actually made.

• Remote Access Scam
  This scam is potentially very dangerous. Scammers pretend to be a Geek Squad support agent and request remote access to your computer to fix a problem. Instead, what they really do is install malware or spyware on your device, take control of your computer or steal sensitive information such as passwords.

• Spoofed Geek Squad Website
  Not clicking links in an email and directly visiting the website is a safe approach. However, you need to make sure that the website is legitimate and not a fake one. Scammers create fake versions of websites to trick users. Always remember to watch out for red flags, such as spelling mistakes in the domain name.

How to Recognize a Geek Squad Scam Email

If you receive a suspicious email from Geek Squad, don't worry and look for the following signs that easily give away whether it's a scam or not.

• Unofficial Email Address
  If you receive a Geek Squad email from an email address ending in @gmail.com or any other email domain other than @geeksquad.com or @bestbuy.com, it's a scam! Sometimes, scammers also use the official domain name with some variations like @geeeksquad.com, so pay attention to these subtle differences.

• Urgency of Cancellation
  Another sign of a Geek Squad scam email is that the sender will prompt you to take quick action, such as cancelling the purchase within 24 hours to get a full refund.

• Poor Grammar or Typos
  You will hardly find any typing errors or grammatical mistakes in a legitimate email from Geek Squad. However, you can notice many mistakes in a scam email. This is one of the easiest ways to tell them apart.

• Generalized Greeting
  Scammers usually don't have access to information such as your name, as these emails are often randomly sent out in bulk and not specifically targeted. You will notice greetings such as "Dear customer/user" or a simple "Hi".

• Request for Personal Information
  Be careful not to share any personal information such as login credentials or bank account details. A legitimate Geek Squad email would never ask for your personal information.

Image: https://miamioh.edu/

What to Do If You Receive a Geek Squad Scam Email

You should take the following actions if you've been targeted by a Geek Squad scam email:

• Don't click on any links or attachments in the email.
• Don't provide any personal or sensitive information.
• Report the email as spam.
• Block the sender. (read next section)

Use Block Sender to Block Geek Squad Scam and Phishing Emails

Blocking the sender will ensure you never receive scam emails from the same email address ever again, and it's simple and easy to do with Block Sender.

Block Sender is an email productivity tool that lets you take back control of your inbox. You can block email addresses, entire email domains, sub-domains, domain extensions, subject lines, phrases, IP addresses and even bounce back emails to make the sender think their emails are not getting delivered to you. It also comes with a Chrome extension so that you can easily block emails directly within Gmail.

Here's how to use the Block Sender Chrome extension to block Geek Squad scam emails in just a few clicks:

1. Install the Block Sender Chrome extension if you haven't already.
2. Link your Gmail account.
3. Open the Geek Squad scam email.
4. Click on the Block icon in the toolbar and select "Emails from this Sender".

That's it! That's how easy it is to block emails with Block Sender!

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

If you realize you've fallen for the Geek Squad email scam, don't panic, but act quickly to minimize potential damage.

If You Gave Remote Access to a Scammer:

1. Immediately disconnect your device from the Internet.
2. Shut down your computer to stop any ongoing unauthorized access.
3. Change all your passwords, especially for email, banking and any other sensitive accounts. (Use a different, secure device to do so.)
4. Notify your bank or credit card company of the situation.
   Monitor your bank account and credit card accounts for any suspicious activity.
5. Back up important files on your computer. (in offline mode)
6. Consider doing a full factory reset to remove any malware or remote access software.

If you clicked a malicious link:

• Run a full antivirus scan.
• Change your passwords, especially if you entered your login credentials on a suspicious website.
• Clear your browser cache and cookies.

Conclusion

The Geek Squad email scam is one of the most common phishing tactics used today. By learning how to recognize the warning signs of a scam email, such as suspicious sender addresses, urgent language, and requests for personal information, you can protect yourself from falling victim.

If you do receive a scam, taking quick action is key to minimizing the damage.

And with tools like Block Sender, you can easily block these phishing attempts and keep your inbox safe and clutter-free. Stay informed, stay cautious and take control of your online security.