An email arrives with an invoice for a Geek Squad plan you never bought. It’s for hundreds of dollars, and it says to call a number to cancel.
From: a random Gmail address
Subject: Payment order settled
Dear User, your 2-year Geek Squad protection plan renewed today. Amount: $580.57. If you did not authorize this, call 1-800-555-0119 to cancel and receive a refund.
Subject: Payment order settled
Dear User, your 2-year Geek Squad protection plan renewed today. Amount: $580.57. If you did not authorize this, call 1-800-555-0119 to cancel and receive a refund.
An invented example, but real scam messages look just like it.
Short answer: It’s a scam if you never bought the plan. The email is harmless on its own. The phone number is the trap.
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Red flags in a message like this
- A generic greeting like “Dear User”
- A sender address from Gmail or another free provider, not Best Buy
- A plan you never signed up for
- An urgent phone number to call
- A recipient name that isn’t yours
What happens if you call
- The caller may ask for your card number, or ask you to install remote-access software.
- They may say they refunded you too much and ask you to send the money back.
- Don’t call. Check your bank statement and your real Best Buy account instead.
If you already tapped, replied or paid
- Called but gave nothing: hang up and block the number.
- Gave a card number: call your card issuer and block the card.
- Let them onto your computer: disconnect it from the internet, call your bank, and change your passwords from another device.
- Sent money: contact your bank immediately.
Report it: Mark the email as phishing in your mail app and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Still not sure? Paste it into ScamRead before you reply or pay.