Email · Scam library
Geek Squad invoice email scam: how to spot it and what to do
Arrives by: Email
Is it a scam?
An email that looks like a Geek Squad or Best Buy invoice for a tech support renewal you don't remember buying is a scam. The FTC says these fake invoices push you to call a phone number to cancel or get a refund, and the person who answers is the scammer. Don't call. Check your card statement, and if there's no charge, delete it.
How the scam works.
You get an official-looking invoice with Geek Squad branding, an order number and a charge of a few hundred dollars.
It says you must call within 24 hours to dispute the charge. The number goes straight to the scammer.
The "refund agent" asks to connect to your computer, then has you type your bank or card details into a fake refund page.
They secretly change the numbers to make it look like you were refunded too much, and ask you to send back the "extra" by gift cards, wire or crypto.
Red flags to look for.
Illustrative example · Email
From Geek Squad Billing <[email protected]>
Order Confirmation #GS-48817230: Your Membership Has Been Renewed
Written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
You don't have a Geek Squad plan, or you don't remember renewing one.
The sender's address is not from bestbuy.com. It may be a free email account or an odd domain.
It greets you as "Dear Customer" instead of by name.
The only way to cancel is to call a phone number in the email.
A 24-hour deadline, or a warning that the charge becomes non-refundable.
The invoice comes as a PDF attachment or image, often with odd spacing or capital letters.
On the phone, they want remote access to your computer to process a refund.
The real thing vs. the scam.
What the real organization does
What the scammer does
A real Best Buy or Geek Squad charge shows up on the card or bank account you used to pay.
A big charge that doesn't appear anywhere on your statements.
You can check any Best Buy membership by typing bestbuy.com yourself and signing in, or by visiting a store.
An email that says you must call its phone number to cancel.
A real refund goes back to your card. No one needs to control your computer to issue it.
A "refund agent" who needs remote access and then says you were overpaid.
$1.04 billion
Tech and customer support scams, including fake renewal invoices, cost people 60 and over $1.04 billion in 2025.
Source: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report (PDF).
If you got this message.
- Don't call the number, reply or open any attachment.
- Look at your card and bank statements, or open your bank's official app. If there's no charge, the email is fake.
- If you do see a charge, contact Best Buy using contact details you find yourself at bestbuy.com, or call the number on the back of your card.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- In Gmail, use "Report phishing" or "Report spam," then delete it.
If you already clicked, paid or shared information.
If you let them connect to your computer, disconnect it from the internet right away.
If you gave bank or card details, call the number on the back of your card or in the official app. Report fraud and ask about stopping payments.
If you bought gift cards or sent a wire, call the gift card company or wire service right away and ask for a refund or reversal.
Change your email and banking passwords from a different device.
Have the computer scanned and cleaned by someone you trust. Remove any remote access program they installed.
Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and at ic3.gov if you lost money.
Money already sent? Start with the free C.A.L.M. recovery wizard or get step-by-step help. And watch out for anyone who offers to get it back for a fee.
Not sure about a message?
Check it in a minute.
Answer a few yes-or-no questions and see how risky it looks.
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How OwlGuardian helps
Make the next scam bounce off.
This is exactly the kind of email OwlGuardian is built for. In Gmail, it scans incoming mail and quarantines a fake renewal invoice before your parent sees it, then alerts their Trusted Contact to release it or keep it out.
OwlGuardian quietly checks your parent's Gmail with AI, moves scam emails out of sight, and asks you before anything risky gets through. $4.99/month after a 30-day free trial.
Questions people ask.
Why did I get an email from Geek Squad?
Is the Geek Squad auto-renewal email real?
What happens if you call the number on a fake Geek Squad email?
How do I report a Geek Squad scam email?
Sources
The example above is illustrative, written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
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One short email a week about the scams going around
What's hitting inboxes and phones right now, what it looks like, and the one thing to tell your parents. Written in plain English.