The Geek Squad scam email — how the fake "renewal invoice" works
You get an email saying Geek Squad just auto-renewed your $399 subscription. You never had a subscription. There's a phone number to call for a refund. That phone number is the scam. Here's the full anatomy, real email samples, and exactly what to do — whether you just received it, already called, or already paid.
One-line summary
The email is fake, Geek Squad never charged you, and the only goal is to get you to call the phone number so they can talk you into installing remote-access software.
What a fake Geek Squad email looks like
Real example, with the scam phone number neutered. Notice the Gmail sender, the round-number "$399.99" invoice, and the 24-hour callback deadline — the three fingerprints of this scam.
From: Geek Squad Billing <renewals.geeksquad-billing@gmail.com> Subject: Geek Squad Protection Plan — Auto Renewal Confirmation Date: today Dear Customer, Thank you for renewing your Geek Squad Total Tech Support subscription. The amount has been auto-debited from your account on file. Invoice #: GS-INV-49281 Plan: Geek Squad Total Tech Support (Annual) Amount: USD $399.99 Billing Date: 1/1/1970 If you did not authorize this renewal, please call our billing department within 24 hours for a full refund: +1 (888) 555-0142 Failure to cancel within 24 hours will result in a non-refundable charge. Geek Squad Billing Department
7 steps if you just got the email
- 1
Don't call the phone number in the email
The whole scam hinges on the callback. Once you call, a fake "refund agent" walks you into installing remote-access software (AnyDesk, UltraViewer) and then drains your bank account. If the email worries you, log into your real Best Buy account in a new tab — there will be no charge.
- 2
Check the sender address, not the Geek Squad logo
Real Best Buy / Geek Squad emails come from @bestbuy.com or @emails.bestbuy.com. Scam invoices come from Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, or look-alike domains (geek-squad-billing.net, bestbuy-renewals.com). The logo and footer are copy-pasted from the real brand.
- 3
Recognize the invoice pattern: $299–$599, auto-renewed, 24-hour window
The dollar amount is almost always between $299 and $599 — high enough to alarm you, low enough that you might believe you forgot the subscription. There is always a "refund within 24 hours" deadline and a US/India phone number to call. That combination is the scam's fingerprint.
- 4
Never grant remote access to your computer
If you already called and they asked you to download AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, or to type a code into a website — stop, disconnect from the internet, and close the program. Anything they typed in your browser or bank tab is on a recording on their side.
- 5
If you shared bank or card details, freeze first, dispute second
Call your bank's number on the back of your card (not any number from the email) and freeze the card and any account they may have screenshared. Then file a written dispute. Banks are required to investigate unauthorized transfers under Regulation E (US).
- 6
Report it to the FTC and IC3
File at reportfraud.ftc.gov (Federal Trade Commission) and ic3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center). Forward the email itself to phishing@bestbuy.com so the brand can take down the look-alike domain. Reports feed the same enforcement databases scammers' next victims are screened against.
- 7
Block the sender and the number — then run the URL through a checker
Block the email address and phone number on your device. If the email links anywhere, paste the URL into the free GACS website checker before clicking — fresh phishing pages are usually flagged by the community within hours.
Already paid or shared your bank? Read this.
- Call your bank with the number on the back of your card — freeze the card and any account the scammer screenshared.
- Change your email password and online-banking password from a different device.
- File reports at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
- Follow the 15-minute panic guide — the first hour matters most.
- Report the email and any URL at /report so others searching for the same scam find the warning.
FAQ
What is the Geek Squad scam?
It's a phishing scam where you receive an emailed "invoice" or "renewal confirmation" claiming you've been charged $299–$599 for a Geek Squad protection plan you never bought. The email tells you to call a phone number to dispute the charge. The number is the scammer — they then talk you into installing remote-access software and either transfer money out of your bank account or trick you into mailing them cash or gift cards.
Is the Geek Squad email I just got real?
Almost certainly not. Real Geek Squad never sends unsolicited renewal invoices that ask you to call a phone number to get a refund. They also don't ask for remote access to your computer, gift cards, wire transfers, or your bank login. If you want to be sure, log into bestbuy.com directly (not via any link in the email) and check your account's subscription page — it will show nothing.
What does a fake Geek Squad email look like?
Subject lines usually read "Geek Squad Protection Plan — Auto Renewal Confirmation", "Invoice INV-#GS-49281", or "Thank You for Your Subscription Renewal". The body shows a Best Buy / Geek Squad logo, an invoice number, a date, a US billing address, an amount between $299 and $599, and a phone number to "cancel within 24 hours for a full refund". Spelling is usually clean; the giveaway is the sender address and the callback-to-refund flow.
I called the number — what happens now?
If you only called and hung up, you're fine; block the number. If they asked you to install software (AnyDesk, UltraViewer, TeamViewer), uninstall it, run a malware scan, and change every password you typed while it was open — starting with your email and bank. If you shared bank or card details, freeze the card with your bank's official number now and follow the GACS panic guide.
I paid them. Can I get my money back?
It depends on how you paid. Credit card charges and ACH bank transfers in the US are reversible if you dispute fast — call your bank today, not next week. Wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and gift cards are usually gone, but report anyway: the FTC, IC3, and your bank build cases from victim reports and occasionally claw funds back from seized scammer accounts.
Where do I report the Geek Squad scam?
In the US: reportfraud.ftc.gov (FTC) and ic3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center). Forward the email to phishing@bestbuy.com and to reportphishing@apwg.org. In the UK: actionfraud.police.uk. In Canada: antifraudcentre.ca. Also report the URL on GACS at /report so the next person searching for the same email sees the warning.
Why am I getting these emails?
Your email address is on a list bought from a data-breach dump. The scammers are not targeting you personally — they're mass-mailing millions of addresses, knowing a small percentage will panic and call. Blocking the sender helps for the moment, but the next batch will come from a different domain. The real defense is recognizing the pattern.
Related scam guides
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GACS. "The Geek Squad Scam Email — How the Fake Renewal Invoice Works." GACS — Global Anti-Crypto-Scam. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://gacs.app/geek-squad-scam.
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@misc{gacs_geek_squad_scam, author = {GACS}, title = {The Geek Squad Scam Email — How the Fake Renewal Invoice Works}, howpublished = {GACS — Global Anti-Crypto-Scam}, year = {2026}, note = {Accessed: June 15, 2026}, url = {https://gacs.app/geek-squad-scam} }
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