Scammers are constantly sending out alarming messages to scare you into action, like the one that appears to be from Geek Squad.
The message says you’ll be charged hundreds of dollars unless you call the number listed right away. It may look real, but it’s bogus.
“We know a lot of people are getting these emails, and because they are so convincing, we have a lot of victims who are calling the phone number and then being caught in one of these horrible Geek Squad scams,” said Amy Nofziger at the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
As with other phishing attacks, the scammers hope you’ll give them your financial information. But in this case, they’re also trying to get access to your computer.
“From what we’re hearing from our victims, they’re actually getting onto their computers and accessing their bank accounts or even their peer-to-peer apps,” Nofziger said. “And so, they’re going in there transferring money out of the accounts and putting it into another bank account.”
You only give remote access to your devices when you’ve initiated the request for tech support.
This is one of a number of business imposter scams going around right now. Other well-known companies, such as Amazon, eBay, and PayPal, are also being spoofed. So, you need to stop and think before you respond in any way.
The smart move is to contact the company that supposedly sent the email, using a phone number you know is real, not the one listed in the suspect message.
If you get a call, text, email, or social media message and don’t know what to do, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 before you provide an unknown caller with information or money. You do not need to be an AARP member to use this free service.
More Info:
FTC: How to recognize a fake Geek Squad renewal scam
