Is Geek Squad a Scam? 

If you’re thinking of using Geek Squad, you need to know: Is Geek Squad a scam? 

Below, we explain whether Geek Squad is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this service.

What Is Geek Squad?

Geek Squad is Best Buy’s tech support and repair team. 

Geek Squad can help you set up and repair tech devices, including phones, tablets, smartwatches, TVs, laundry machines, fitness equipment, and fridges. 

They can troubleshoot issues for a vast range of products and solve most problems remotely. 

The team can also answer any of your tech questions and schedule services and is available 24/7. 

Is Geek Squad a Scam?

No, Geek Squad is not a scam. It’s a legitimate tech support and repair service offered by Best Buy. 

However, its reviews are mixed. 

On the Best Buy website, Geek Squad gets a 1.6 out of 5.0 stars rating from 472 reviews. Only 15% of these reviewers say they would recommend Geek Squad to a friend. 

Common complaints include:

• Unreliable appointments (missed appointments, appointments canceled without notice, and appointments rescheduled with long delays).
• Poor customer service (particularly uninformed reps).
• Incompetent repairs and issues that are unresolved.

On the other hand, a handful of reviewers said they had great experience with Geek Squad, particularly in-store. 

Elsewhere on the web, Geek Squad reviews are mostly negative:

• 1.4 out of 5.0 stars (from 484 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 1.2 out of 5.0 stars (from 1,731 reviews) on Consumer Affairs.
• 1.4 out of 5.0 stars (from 1,447 reviews) on REVIEWS.io.
• 1.5 out of 5.0 stars (from 148 reviews) on Yelp.   

UK PCMag gives Geek Squad a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars (“Excellent”), though this review is from 2014. 

An even older article (from 2011) on Consumer Affairs titled “9 Confessions Of A Former Geek Squad Geek” reveals some concerning practices, like:

• Geek Squad techs lacking basic troubleshooting skills due to poor, outdated training resources.
• Employees with no computer experience being promoted or moved to Geek Squad roles purely to boost sales.
• Employees being taught to upsell services.

In 2013, a person claiming to have worked for Geek Squad did an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit titled “Former Geek squad! AMA! How we ripped people off almost all the time!” 

However, as someone on Reddit explained, the variability in Geek Squad service can probably be explained by the fact that corporations like Best Buy don’t necessarily have standards for employee competence, so the service you get depends on each individual employee and your luck. 

Another Reddit user said that every Geek Squad member was competent at their Best Buy store. 

Geek Squad scams

Geek Squad is not a scam, but as with any brand, scammers pretend to be from Geek Squad to con consumers. 

In 2022, the FTC put out an alert warning consumers about a Geek Squad renewal scam.

In this scam, fraudsters send you an email or text saying your GeekSquad membership will be renewed (and hundreds of dollars taken out of your account) unless you call the number specified within 24 hours to cancel.

If you call the number, the scammers ask for your bank details to “refund” you, then make a fake transaction where it looks like they refunded you too much and ask you to pay them back in gift cards. 

Or, they ask for remote access to your device and install spyware to steal your sensitive details if you give it to them. 

Other common Geek Squad scams include the following: 

• Fake emails notifying you of a charge for a service you didn’t buy. Victims are urged to call a number or click a link to cancel the service.
• Malicious links or attachments that pretend to go to an antivirus download but are actually malware. 
• Alerts that look like they come from Best Buy to reset your password but actually go to fake login pages where your information is stolen. 

These kinds of scams target individuals randomly. 

If you’re unsure whether a message you received from Geek Squad is real, you can ask for advice on the Geek Squad subreddit.  

So, Should You Use Geek Squad?

Depends on what you need.

If you’re looking for convenience and don’t mind paying, Geek Squad might be okay, as long as you double-check your appointments, costs, and service terms. 

However, if you want high-quality, reliable tech support, you might be better off exploring other options, like manufacturer support or local repair shops. 

How to Use Geek Squad Safely

• Choose your location carefully. Looking at reviews, some Geek Squad locations seem to be better than others. Check reviews to see what other people say about a particular store you’re considering using. 
• Protect your data before you hand in your device. Backup your files to an external drive or cloud, log out of accounts (e.g., email, social media, banking), and remove any sensitive files. Ideally, create a guest user profile for the Geek Squad team.  
• Be wary of upsells. Ask for a full price breakdown upfront and compare prices with local tech/repair shops. Be ready for upsells. 
• Watch out for Geek Squad scams. If an email or text seems off, don’t rush into doing what it says (e.g., calling a specific number within 24 hours to cancel an “auto-renewal.” If you’re not sure that the message is legitimate, contact Geek Squad directly using the number on Best Buy’s website. Don’t use links or phone numbers from the email or text, as these can be fake. 
• Document everything. Take before and after photos of your device, and make sure you get written receipts for any service or parts. You may also want to write down the name of the Geek Squad member assigned to you. 
• Be careful with remote access support. Only use remote support if you initiated it through official Best Buy communication channels. Watch everything the technician does and make sure to end the session when it’s over. 
• Trust your gut. If something feels off (e.g., vague explanation, strange upsell), take your device elsewhere and ask for a second opinion.