Scam library · Email & phishing · Tech support · Seniors
Geek Squad renewal email scam
An email says your Geek Squad protection plan has auto-renewed and you've been charged a few hundred dollars. If you didn't authorize it, call the number below to cancel.
There is no charge. The email exists to make you call. The person who answers is a scammer who will try to get remote access to your computer and then your bank account.
What the message looks like
From: Geek Squad Billing <geeksquad.renewal@gmail[.]com>
Subject: Invoice #GS-77310: Your plan was renewed ($399.99)
Thank you for renewing your Geek Squad Total Protection for 2 years. The amount of $399.99 has been charged to your account.
If you did not authorize this renewal, call our cancellation desk within 24 hours: 1-888-555-0143.
Order date: today · Payment: auto-debit
How this scam works
The 'cancel' call is where the scam really starts. The fake agent says they'll refund you and asks you to install a remote access app. Then they ask you to log in to your bank 'to receive the refund'.
Next comes the trick: they edit what's on your screen to show that they refunded far too much, for example $3,900 instead of $390. Upset and apologizing, they ask you to send the difference back, by wire, gift cards, cryptocurrency or cash in the mail. The money that appeared was moved from one of your own accounts, so what you 'return' is your money.
The FTC's tech support guidance describes exactly this pattern, and the FBI reported $2.13 billion in tech support losses in its 2025 Internet Crime Report, with older adults hit hardest.
Red flags
- An invoice for something you never bought, or don't remember renewing.
- Sent from a Gmail, Outlook or random address, not the company's domain.
- The only way to 'cancel' is a phone number in the email.
- Often a PDF or image attachment instead of normal email text.
- On the call: a request to install remote access software or log in to your bank.
How to tell it’s fake
- Check your card or bank statement. If there's no charge, there's nothing to cancel.
- If you have a real Best Buy or Geek Squad account, sign in on the site you type yourself and look at your plans.
- Never call a number from an unexpected invoice. Use the number on the company's real website or your card.
What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info
Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.
If you clicked a link or called back
- If you only called, hang up and block the number. If you let them on your computer, disconnect from the internet and uninstall any remote access program they had you add.
- Have a trusted technician check the computer, then change passwords from a different device.
If you paid
- Call your bank's fraud line from your card or statement. Wire transfers and gift cards are hard to reverse, so call within minutes if you can.
- If you bought gift cards, call the gift card company too: the FTC lists their numbers.
If you shared personal info, a password or a code
- If you logged in to your bank while they watched, change the password and ask the bank to check for new payees or transfers.
Where to report and get help (U.S.)
If a message seems legit and you’re still not sure, get a second opinion before you act. Reporting helps stop scammers, even if money can’t be recovered. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Your bank or card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not one from the message. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch the account. - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report the scam and get a step-by-step recovery plan. - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · ic3.gov
Report scams that happened online, especially if money was lost. Include phone numbers, websites and payment details. - AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · aarp.org helpline
Free, for anyone of any age: trained volunteers help you sort out next steps. 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. - IdentityTheft.gov · IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your Social Security number or someone opened accounts in your name.
How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you
Scam Guard runs in Chrome and Edge on your computer. When a page suddenly fills the screen, plays alarms or claims your computer is infected, it recognizes the pattern of a fake support warning and tells you, in plain words, that it's safe to close the tab. In a renewal email you have open in Gmail or Outlook on the web, it points out the lookalike sender and the call-this-number trick. If a message seems legit and you're still unsure, get a scam expert's second opinion before you call anyone.
Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.
Questions people ask
- Is Geek Squad emailing me about an auto-renewal real?
- Almost always not. If you're unsure, sign in to your real account or check your statement. Don't call a number from the email.
- Why would they refund me too much?
- The 'overpayment' is fake. They move your own money between accounts so it looks like a refund, then ask you to send the 'difference' to them.
- They had access to my computer for an hour. What now?
- Assume they could see everything. Remove the remote access app, get the computer checked, change bank and email passwords from another device, and tell your bank.