16 Oct the geek squad
Instead, she called the real Geek Squad to report the call, and she checked her credit card and no wrong charges had been made.
And for access to your computer. Subscribe to NJ.com », Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com.
In other cases, the caller says the Geek Squad detected a problem on your computer and they request access. Once you let them in, they can steal your information, put malware on your computer otherwise freeze it up. Your support helps us cover local news. You’ll also be sent to jail if you don’t pay penalties for missing jury duty.
Geek Squad pricing ranges between $39.99 to $329.99 per individual service and $24.99 to $49.99 per user per month for a service plan. Don’t answer the telephone unless you know the caller. “I refused to turn on the computer and follow his instructions.”.
Reach Karin Price Mueller at [email protected].
“His response was, `Go ahead, call the police,’” she said. The IRS says if you don’t pay your overdue taxes immediately, there will be a warrant for your arrest.
The best advice? The woman did the right thing by refusing the caller’s requests. The company added the Geek Squad only takes payment over the phone at the time a customer schedules an appointment, and it will not scan a computer remotely without permission from the owner. Each user can have multiple devices. In order for them to “fix” it, you have to pay. “I do not know how scammer got my info, unless the Geek Squad has a crook on their staff,” she said. In some cases, the fake Geek Squad caller says the company wants to give you a refund for work you had done a while back. The cost was $79.99 and she paid over the phone.
Then they ask for your banking or credit card information. Not only would she be out a few hundred bucks - at a minimum - but with access to her computer, the scammer could have installed malware that could track her keystrokes, making it easy to gain her account logins and passwords. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Its $9.99-a-month plan is also the least expensive you'll find among competing services. She said she threatened to go to the police if he didn’t remove the charge. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. You can extend that warranty for up to 5 years on items purchased at Best Buy.
View Geek Squad’s Plans. Someone claiming to be the Geek Squad said her credit card was charged $399 for “computer services.”, “The call came again and I spoke to a real person who said he was from Geek Squad,” she said.
It is meant to offer you coverage after the warranty period ends on your equipment. If your small business doesn’t have IT support on staff, you can use Geek Squad (a service run by Best Buy) for help with software installation, computer setup and repair, and other tech support issues. “He had a heavy Indian accent and refused to remove the charge unless I went on the computer and followed his instructions. For a fee. We offer an unmatched level of support, with Geek Squad Agents ready to help you 24/7 online, on the phone, in store or in your home. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. It looked into the woman’s experience and said the scam call the woman received was “in no way connected to her recent legitimate Geek Squad appointment.”. The calls she received were even creepier than a typical scam because she had actually set up an appointment with the real Geek Squad the day before. Even worse, it could freeze her computer and basically hold it hostage unless she pays ransom. Best Buy’s “Geek Squad,” the retailer’s computer fix-it service, is one business that’s commonly the target of con artists. Or the scammer could have created problems on her machine that didn’t exist before. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). They can always leave a message and if it’s the real thing, you can return the call. Had she fallen for it, she and her computer could have been in for a world of hurt. All rights reserved (About Us). “Definitely no coincidence.”.
A technician was scheduled to come to her home to fix a printer issue. They’ve found a virus on your computer and they want to eradicate it. We're here to help. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. A 79-year-old Bamboozled reader recently got the call, and she wanted to warn others. Geek Squad Protection Plan. Then the scammer could promise a fix, but for a large fee. We reached out to Best Buy, which like most companies was aware that its name is used by scammers, to see what advice it had for consumers. But before the tech arrived, the woman got a message. It’s pretty common for scammers to impersonate legitimate companies or government agencies in an attempt to steal your money.
Geek Squad, the best-known tech-support service, boasts deep resources and U.S.-based agents. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com’s weekly e-newsletter.
Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Geek Squad ® Services.
If you’re not sure whether the message was the real thing, call the actual company or agency with a phone number you find independently. Just never give anyone your personal information over the phone, and never, ever give someone control of your computer unless you know they’re the real deal. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Have you been Bamboozled? A quick search online finds thousands of scams that use the Geek Squad name. I refused.”.
Then there are the callers who claim to be Microsoft, Windows or another tech company. GeekSquad Protection Plan covers computers, tablets, eReaders, TVs, drones, and more.
Best Buy’s “Geek Squad,” the retailer’s computer fix-it service, is one business that’s commonly the target of con artists.
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