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As more and more of our daily lives move online and in the digital field, prioritize cybersecurity has never been so important. Part of this means staying above the range of threats constantly evolving. These days, the Geek Squad scam is one of the many new stratagems that uses a trust institution to work on without mistrust victims who believe that they are the Best Buy technological team. But what exactly is the scam, and is there a way to avoid it? Read the rest to find out more about the Geek Squad scam and how you can protect yourself.

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What is Geek Squad scam?

Whoever is online knows how much Phishing scams have become in recent years. Crooks, pretending to be a representative of institutions such as American postal service or Amazon customer support, will reach targets claiming that there is a problem with their account, purchase or package. The growing problem has become almost impossible to miss, with an estimate 3.4 billion spam emails Being sent every day, according to research from the AAG cybersecurity company.

But while these stratagems tend to follow the same model for sending phishing, sms and even telephone calls, some take a new method to obtain the confidence of their target. And an omnipresent version of this cybercrime is the Squad Geek renewal scam.

"The Geek Squad renewal scam is a type of phishing scam where fraudsters pretend to be representatives of Geek Squad, a well -known technological support and repair service belonging to Best Buy". Shawn Waldman , CEO and founder of the cybersecurity consulting company Secure cyberfense , tell Better life . "These scams have existed for some time and generally involve various tactics to deceive victims to provide personal information, financial details, access to bank accounts or access to their computers." AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

In this case, the crooks will send false invoices or phony emails claiming that the membership or service plan to the geek team of the recipient is about to be renewed or has already been renewed, often for a substantial amount .

"The email urges the recipient to call a telephone number provided if he wishes to cancel or challenge the costs," explains Waldman. "When the victims call this issue, they are linked to crooks who claim to be representatives of Geek Squad."

What is the Geek team-and is it legitimate?

Part of the reason why Geek Squad scams can succeed, it is because the company on which they are based is the one that is generally help People with their technology, gadgets and cybersecurity problems. In fact, they have become a large part of the shopping experience in one of the most emblematic electronic stores in the United States

"Geek Squad is a legitimate service which was initially founded as an autonomous company in 1994," said Waldman. "He merged with Best Buy in 2002, and since then his mission has been to provide store and remote computer support for Best Buy customers. Need technologies."

Because they are so anchored in the customer experience, it is not uncommon for consumers to contact them in the midst of a technological crisis. "In addition to providing a wide range of technical support services for personal accounts, they also manage many calls for small technologies from the office," said Maria-Kristina Hayden , CEO and founder of cybersecurity company Outfoxm. "The Geek team is in a speed dial for many of my friends and my family!"

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How many types of geek scams exist?

Unfortunately, Geek Squad crooks use different ways to put their victims to sleep in a false feeling of security, so there are several signs to watch. Here are the different types you need to be aware for your own safety:

Geek squad renewal scam

Part of the Geek Squad business model involves subscription plans that cover service visits, technological support, etc. Geek Squad’s renewal scam mainly uses this element to attract to its planned targets.

"In this case, a customer receives a false e-mail from Geek Squad by alerting him that a software package is about to renew automatically for a considerable sum of money," explains Seth Geftic ,, cybersecurity expert And vice-president of product marketing at Huntress.

He adds that even if a customer does not already have a subscription, it can lead them to believe that they have accidentally signed for an expensive package for which he does not want to pay. "The customer then clicks on the link in a panic to cancel this renewal, falling in love with the scam," explains Geftic.

False virus scam

Despite our best efforts during the decades, IT viruses, malware and other harmful software products are always a significant problem in cybersecurity. Unfortunately, the public paranoia surrounding this too common problem transformed it into a weapon for criminals. An example of how they use this fear is to send an email or phishing text from the Geek team.

"This is when the crooks will send emails, messages or even call you on the phone indicating that your computer is infected and they can help, generally for fees," said Hayden. "They then ask you to click on a button by giving them remote access to your computer, after which they can steal information or start a real infection."

Free antivirus scam

The same distrust around the download of a virus can also lead people to make reckless decisions when it comes to protecting themselves from this. Naturally, the crooks who execute a scam by e-mail of Geek Squad will exploit this opportunity.

"Here, a target will receive a geek Squad phishing email offering them free software package, often antivirus software or computer file cleaning," explains Geftic. "But although the customer thinks that he receives fascinating software for free, he really accidentally downloads malicious software on his device."

False data violation scam

Data violations have become so common that it is difficult to say when you have been affected. And of course, criminals also learned to take advantage of it.

"In some cases, Geek Squad crooks will send a request to the user to reset their password because he was involved in a sort of violation," said Geftic. "They will then navigate to the link in the email, by typing their old password and a new one. The hackers will then have the user password and use it to access their accounts and potentially steal their financial informations."

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What if you accidentally fall for a Geek Squad invoice scam

It is not difficult to get caught up in a scam, especially when someone claims to come from an organization or a business with which you trust and with whom you work regularly. If you fall into a geek squad scam, there are a few things you can do, according to Zulfikar Ramzan , PHD, scientific director and executive vice-president of the product and development at Aura.

• Immediately classify any other interaction with the e-mail or the suspicious message. Avoid click on links, download attachments or provide personal information.
• Run a in -depth analysis of your devices. Use confidence antivirus software on your device to check any malware that may have been inadvertently downloaded, including your smartphone or tablet if it was involved.
• If you have entered passwords or sensitive information after clicking on the links, immediately modify these passwords. Take this as an opportunity to create Solid and unique passwords For each of your accounts.
• If you have provided financial information, contact your bank or credit card company to alert it from potential fraud. You must then continue to monitor your accounts for any unauthorized transaction.
• Report the Geek Squad scam or to the legitimate company that the crooks have the identity. You can usually find contact details on their official website.
• Consider reporting the scam to the appropriate authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This can help prevent others from falling victims of similar scams.

How to report the geek team's invoice scam

Even if you do not fall into the scam attempt, you can still report criminal activity to help protect other customers.

According to Best Buy Customer Service Michael Wilson ,, Chairman and CEO to gentech. There, you can provide details, including the type of geek squad scam that you have experienced along all the emails or messages you have received, and other important information (including the number where they called you).

You can also go higher by reporting it directly to the FTC federal authorities. The agency Maintains a website To present complaints, which facilitates the sending of important information.

If you are concerned about others in your region, Wilson adds that you can also contact your local police service to alert them. They can also be able to contact the higher authorities to increase surveys.

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How to avoid geek squad scam emails

Even the most vigilant people can fall for a well -designed phishing scheme. If you want to stay safe from a geek squad scam, there are a few things to keep in mind.

According to Ramzan, it is important to check the communications, in particular if it is in the form of unsolicited messages. "Be careful of suspect emails, phone calls or messages that require personal information, payment details or immediate action," he said. "Scholars often create a feeling of urgency to put you pressure on making hasty decisions."

If someone approaches you and you worry, it is best to contact the company directly using the contact details of its official website or a source of confidence. And as always, pay attention to what you click

"Before clicking on e-mails or messages, fly over them to see the real URL," suggests Ramzan. "Make sure they lead to legitimate websites, because crooks create false websites to attract victims. Be particularly careful of URLs or shortcut links that redirect you to unknown websites."

It is also advantageous to stay up to date with the last cybersecurity. "Make sure your operating system, antivirus software and other applications are up to date with the latest security fixes," said Ramzan Better life . "This helps protect your device from vulnerabilities that crooks can use."

Conclusion

Like most other phishing ploys, the Geek Squad scam uses a familiar business to gain the confidence of its planned victims. Scholars use a combination of text messages, emails and phone calls to encourage people without distrust to believe that their device has a virus, that they have signed up for an expensive upgrade, which they need to download Antivirus software, or that their personal data has been stolen in violation.

Anyone who is the victim of the risk of the risk of having personal information to the crooks, including his financial information and other sensitive details. Stay vigilant can help people stay safe in the first place. To find out more about cybersecurity, visit Better life again soon.