In short
Most common fake: Invoice saying you were charged hundreds of dollars to renew Geek Squad.
Safest check: Do not call the number in the email or let anyone connect to your computer.
Where to report it: Email scams that use the Best Buy or Geek Squad name to abuse@bestbuy.com.
What Geek Squad says
Best Buy says trusted brands, itself included, will not contact you asking for personal information or payment for a support issue unless you have already been in touch with them, and it generally does not make unsolicited calls. If you are unsure, it asks you to call 1-888-BEST BUY or use the contact options on BestBuy.com. Source: Best Buy
Common fake Geek Squad messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake Geek Squad message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something Geek Squad itself does.
- Invoice saying you were charged hundreds of dollars to renew Geek Squad
- Urgent request to call a number within 24 hours to cancel
- Refund offer that needs remote access to your computer
- Claim that too much was refunded and you must pay it back with gift cards
- Request for bank or card details to process a refund
Geek Squad's real web addresses
Genuine Geek Squad links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: bestbuy.com is real, but bestbuy-support-center.com or bestbuy.com.account-check.top are not.
- bestbuy.com
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a Geek Squad message safely
- Do not call the number in the email or let anyone connect to your computer
- Sign in to your Best Buy account yourself to see any real memberships or orders
- Check your bank or card statement for an actual charge
- Contact Best Buy using 1-888-BEST BUY or the details on BestBuy.com
How to report a fake Geek Squad message
- Email scams that use the Best Buy or Geek Squad name to abuse@bestbuy.com. Official details on bestbuy.com
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official details on reportfraud.ftc.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at bestbuy.com, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from Geek Squad security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Email scams that use the Best Buy or Geek Squad name to abuse@bestbuy.com, then delete the message.
More help: Tech support and remote-access scams and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Keep security software with web protection on your devices
It blocks many known scam and malware websites and warns about dangerous apps. That matters most if you installed an app or "support" tool someone asked you to.
Free: Keep your phone and browser updated, and leave Google Play Protect or Microsoft Defender switched on. Both are free.
- Bitdefender Partner link Security suite for phone and computer with web and scam protection.
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does Geek Squad send messages asking for payment or personal details?
Best Buy says trusted brands, itself included, will not contact you asking for personal information or payment for a support issue unless you have already been in touch with them, and it generally does not make unsolicited calls. If you are unsure, it asks you to call 1-888-BEST BUY or use the contact options on BestBuy.com.
How can I check if a Geek Squad message is real?
Do not call the number in the email or let anyone connect to your computer. Sign in to your Best Buy account yourself to see any real memberships or orders. Check your bank or card statement for an actual charge. Contact Best Buy using 1-888-BEST BUY or the details on BestBuy.com.
How do I report a fake Geek Squad message?
Email scams that use the Best Buy or Geek Squad name to abuse@bestbuy.com. Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
I clicked a link in a fake Geek Squad message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing bestbuy.com yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: email scams that use the best buy or geek squad name to abuse@bestbuy.com.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Protect Yourself (Best Buy)
- How to recognize a fake Geek Squad renewal scam (Federal Trade Commission)
- How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams (Federal Trade Commission)