A 78-year-old lost nearly $100,000 to a phone scam. Could this happen to you? Find out how to protect yourself.
Tech help scam uses a name you know: the Geek Squad
Is your computer running at a snail’s pace? Before you drop a chunk of cash on a new one, clear out some space from the hard drive. Tap or click here to remove the clutter that’s slowing you down.
Sometimes, the problem runs deeper than that. Your computer might not even turn on, or it’s performing erratically. That’s when you may need to reach out for help.
Best Buy’s Geek Squad offers services from computer repair to TV installation. The popularity of the service makes it a ripe target for scammers. Be very careful if you get a message or pop-up from Geek Squad out of the blue.
Here’s the backstory
Cybercriminals wield the Geek Squad name in various scams, knowing some people will take the bait. Crooks often impersonate well-known brands and services as a form of social engineering. You trust these names, so you’re likelier to fall for a trick.
Scammers can contact you via phone call, text, email or even a pop-up on your computer. Here are five Geek Squad scams that you need to watch out for.
RELATED: Tech support scam targets PC users — Here’s what to look for
1. Phishing emails
Phishing scams are among the most common criminal campaigns, and email is a perfect delivery system. Crooks can send thousands of messages at once, and even a tiny percentage of success can net them big bucks.
Let’s say you get an email claiming that your annual Geek Squad security services plan has been renewed at $400 or more. But wait, you didn’t have a subscription, to begin with!
The message uses eye-catching words, such as “charged,” “transaction” and “payment mode,” among others. It goes on to say that the renewal charge will be deducted from your account. The message could look something like this:
Want to shed some pounds? Don’t fall for these weight loss scams
Overwhelmed by your New Year’s resolutions? We can help you get started with a critical one: improving your cybersecurity. These five tech resolutions will carry you through this year and beyond.
Losing weight is among the most common resolutions and, unfortunately, scammers are waiting to pounce. The crooks know that January and February are the best times to trick people into buying phony products or signing up for fake newsletters.
This phone scam fooled someone out of thousands of dollars
There are many ways for scammers to get their hands on your information and money. Text messages with malicious links are common, and some criminals use QR codes to harvest your data.
Others take a bit of a more hands-on approach, opting to call victims. These scammers can be persuasive, and it can be challenging to determine whether they are legitimate.
How to block 'Scam Likely' and other scam calls on your phone
Most can relate to the anxiety an unknown phone caller can evoke. When you see “Scam Likely” on caller ID, this feeling can instantly become frightening. Tap or click here for details on the top scam calls and what you can do to get them to stop.
Too smart to fall for a phone scam
Everyone thinks they’re too smart to fall for a phone scam. Here’s why everyone is wrong.
Here's what adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry does
Most people don’t even reach for their phone when caller ID doesn’t identify the caller. When it says unknown caller or private, there is a good chance it’s a robocall or a telemarketer. Tap or click here to see the top five scam calls and what you can do to get them to finally stop.
These Veterans Day scams prove criminals have no shame
It’s not always easy to tell when you’re on the phone with a scammer. The usual warning signs you get from emails, such as spelling errors, are not there. But we’re here to help. Tap or click here for five surefire phrases that you’re talking to a scammer on the phone.
Don't fall for it! Scammers con woman out of $5K over phony Amazon purchases
Scammers are out there. They’re targeting victims through email, fake ads, malicious websites, text messages, social media posts and more. As soon as we catch one scam, another bunch takes its place.
A recent viral TikTok video tells a story about a family staying at a hotel and ordering room service from a fake menu slipped under their door. The father revealed his debit card credentials to a scammer when he placed his order. Tap or click here for more on this scary situation and how you can avoid it.
Warning: These are the tactics scammers use to fool older people on the phone
While scammers have embraced the digital age to target victims through social media, fake websites and landing pages, don’t think that they forgot their roots. A simple phone call is still an effective tool for criminals to practice their crooked trade.
One ring and then they hung up? It's a sneaky scam that could cost you
An old phone scam is making a serious comeback. It happens in the middle of the night and your smartphone rings just once. You wake up and your heart is pounding because calls in the dead of night usually mean bad news. You grab your phone and see a number from the African nation of Mauritania. Or you just see a number you can’t recognize.
Don't let your older loved ones fall victim to this scary new phone scam
Have you received a call from the FBI recently? How about the Department of Justice? If so, you’re not alone. People across the nation are reporting mysterious calls from investigators — and all of these calls have one thing in common: They’re scams designed to trick you into revealing personal information.