Independent profile — not affiliated with Geek Squad

Geek Squad

Geek Squad is Best Buy's tech support, installation and repair brand and the name on its protection plans; its plan terms name Best Buy Stores, L.P. as the entity behind it, and since December 8, 2025 plan claims are administered by Assurant. This page collects the cancellation and refund terms from Best Buy's own documents, the court cases found, BBB and Trustpilot figures as displayed on October 6, 2026, and the FTC's warning about fake Geek Squad renewal messages.

COMPLAINTS269
VERIFIED PHONE1-888-237-8289
LAST CHECKED2026-10-06
Write a Review Jump to complaints ↓
CONSUMER ALLEGATION

Complaints & Reviews on USAComplaints

USAComplaints currently maintains 269 historical complaints about Geek Squad, published between 2006 and 2023. No approved complaints have been published on this site during the last three years. For a current reputation snapshot, see the independent sources below.

EDITORIAL

Complaint Themes

Repair delays and unresolved repairs (keyword match)Diagnostic fees, charges and refunds (keyword match)Customer service and appointment problems (keyword match)In-home, TV, appliance and installation service (keyword match)Data loss, wiped or deleted files and damaged devices (keyword match)Extended warranty, service-plan and Black Tie protection disputes (keyword match)Virus and malware removal (keyword match)

Each tag reflects a complaint's single primary theme (not every angle it raised), and complaints outside any problem theme — a positive report, or one later retracted by its author — aren't tagged. Counts may total less than the full complaint count above.

EXTERNAL SOURCE

Independent Sources

Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.

BBB: 1788 reviews, 12714 complaints
Trustpilot: 556 reviews,
VERIFIED

Contacts & Login

VERIFIED

Locations

TypeAddress
Headquarters7601 Penn Avenue South Richfield MN 55423
Mailing addressGSP Plans, ATTN: Cancellations, P.O. Box 9312 Minneapolis MN 55440-9312
EDITORIAL

Geek Squad cancellation, refunds, repair disputes and fake renewal messages: what Best Buy's own pages say (checked October 6, 2026)

Geek Squad is Best Buy's tech support, installation and repair brand and the name on Best Buy's “Geek Squad Protection” service plans. The links and terms below come from Best Buy's own pages and plan documents, opened on October 6, 2026. The complaints archived on this site about Geek Squad are dated 2006 to 2013 (plus one from 2023), so they describe plan terms and practices of that era, not today's documents.

Contact and repair routes. The Geek Squad site (geeksquad.com) now opens Best Buy's “Services” page, which shows “Give us a call at 1-888-237-8289”, a “Schedule a service or repair” link and a “Track your repair” link (bestbuy.com/services/repairtracker). The plan terms give 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778) for service, transfers and cancellation. The Geek Squad Protection page says a claim can be started online at bestbuy.com/services/triage/home.

How to cancel a Geek Squad Protection plan. Section 12.2.2 of the Geek Squad Protection Plan Terms and Conditions (the version dated 2025-08-12 to present) says: “There are no fees to cancel this Plan.” It allows cancellation “at any time, for any reason” by visiting the Plans & Subscriptions page while logged in at BestBuy.com/services/planlist, in person at any Best Buy store, by calling 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778), or by mailing a notice to GSP Plans, ATTN: Cancellations, P.O. Box 9312, Minneapolis, MN 55440-9312. Refund terms in the same section: cancel within 30 days of purchase and you “will receive a full refund of the price you paid for the Plan, less the value of any service provided”; a One-Time-Pay Plan cancelled later gets a pro rata refund of the unexpired term, less the cost of any service provided; for monthly plans, “it may take up to 60 days for the cancellation to be reflected on your credit card statement.” For a Monthly Paid Term Plan or a Continuous Monthly Plan the same section says you “will be given a pro-rated refund of the portion of the monthly fee you paid based on the number of days remaining in month beyond the cancellation date, except that a deduction can be made for the cost of any services received in the month of cancellation.” The terms add that continuous monthly plans renew until cancelled. State-by-state variations at the end of the document change some of these terms (for example, some states set different refund windows), so read the section for your state.

My Best Buy Total and older Geek Squad support plans. The My Best Buy Total Terms of Service (version June 2026, the current file at storage.bestbuy.com) say Total is automatically renewing and can be cancelled by calling 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289), at a store, or at bestbuy.com/services/planlist; for a yearly membership the “Purchase Grace Period” is 60 days, and cancelling Total “will result in the automatic, immediate cancellation of any Best Buy Protection or AppleCare+ plans that were provided under your Membership.” The separate Geek Squad 24/7 Support terms allow a refund if you cancel within 30 days of purchase.

If a repair or claim is stuck. The plan terms define a “No Lemon Benefit”: if a covered product “requires a third repair concerning the same defect during the Coverage Period”, the plan provides a remedy under Section 7 and “our obligations under this Plan will have been fulfilled in their entirety”; Section 7(c) says replacement products “may be new or refurbished (at our discretion)”. Section 16 says: “If, within 60 days, we have not paid a claim, provided you with a refund, or if you are otherwise dissatisfied, or we are no longer a going concern, you may make a claim directly to the insurance company”, American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, P.O. Box 105689, Atlanta, GA 30348-5689, or 800-852-2244. Keep copies of receipts, the plan document and every repair ticket. For a dispute, Best Buy's corporate page says: “If you are a customer, please click here for Help Topics or call Customer Care at 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289).” The Geek Squad Protection Plan terms also contain an arbitration section (Section 20) and the Total terms one in Section 18; read them before starting a formal claim.

Back up your data first. Section 14.2.2 of the current Geek Squad Protection Plan terms says: “WE SPECIFICALLY DO NOT WARRANT THAT (i) WE WILL BE ABLE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE COVERED PRODUCT WITHOUT RISK TO OR LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR DATA, (ii) WE WILL MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA, OR (iii) THAT THE OPERATION OF THE COVERED PRODUCT WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE.” The Geek Squad 24/7 Support terms state: “Prior to us servicing your Covered Device or any other equipment, it is your responsibility to (1) back-up the data, software, information or other files stored on your hard disk drives or any other data storage device”. Many archived complaints below are about data lost during repairs.

Fake renewal emails and texts. The FTC's consumer alert of October 25, 2022 describes messages that say you will be charged hundreds of dollars to renew a Geek Squad membership and tell you to call a number within 24 hours; the FTC says to contact the company using a phone number you know is real and “Do not use the number included in the message”, and to report such a message at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Best Buy's “Protect yourself” page gives 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) as its number and [email protected] for reporting, and says “we generally don’t make unsolicited calls to customers.”

EDITORIAL

Who runs Geek Squad: Best Buy brand, legal entity and plan obligor

Geek Squad is a brand of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY; Minnesota corporation; principal executive offices 7601 Penn Avenue South, Richfield, Minnesota). Best Buy's fiscal 2026 Form 10-K (filed March 18, 2026) lists Geek Squad among the brand names of its Domestic and International segments. Best Buy's fiscal 2003 Form 10-K (filed May 30, 2003) says: “In the third quarter of fiscal 2003, we acquired all of the common stock of Geek Squad, Inc. (Geek Squad) for approximately $3 million, net of cash acquired ... Geek Squad provides residential consumer computer support.” No founding year for Geek Squad was confirmed in a primary source, so none is stated here.

Which legal entity. The Geek Squad Protection Plan terms say: “the term ‘Best Buy’ or ‘Geek Squad’ refers to Best Buy Stores, L.P.”. Court filings use the same entity: the Illinois Appellate Court caption in Ware reads “BEST BUY STORES, L.P. (d/b/a BEST BUY, GEEK SQUAD, and MAGNOLIA HOME THEATER)”. A 2020 California complaint (Adibzadeh) named “Geek Squad, Inc.” as a separate defendant and alleged it is a Minnesota corporation and a subsidiary of Best Buy; that is the plaintiff's allegation. The BBB profile for Best Buy Stores, LP - US Headquarters lists “Geek Squad, Inc” among its alternate names.

Who pays plan claims. Best Buy's obligor-change notice says that “Effective December 8, 2025, your plan’s Obligor and Administrator will be Assurant”: Federal Warranty Service Corporation in all states and Puerto Rico except Florida (United Service Protection, Inc.) and Oklahoma (Assurant Service Protection, Inc.); the companies “operate under the trade name Assurant”. The notice says coverage, terms and any service fees remain the same and that “you’ll continue to reach out to Best Buy directly for support.” The plan terms also say the plan “is not a contract of insurance, but it is secured by an insurance policy provided by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida.” Best Buy's plan-terms page adds that for plans sold before August 12, 2025 and still active on December 8, 2025 the obligor is now Assurant.

What Geek Squad sells. The Services page lists in-store, in-home and remote help for computers, TVs, appliances, phones and smart-home devices, one-time repairs paid per appointment, Geek Squad Protection plans, Best Buy Protection and AppleCare+ (available with My Best Buy Total), and says the Geek Squad can repair products “no matter where you purchased” them for certain brands. The Best Buy Protection and membership terms are published separately from the Geek Squad Protection Plan terms. This page covers Geek Squad; refer to the separate Best Buy page for returns, price matching and store matters.

EDITORIAL

Geek Squad complaint record: archive posts, BBB and Trustpilot as displayed on October 6, 2026

Archive on this site. We link 326 archived user submissions to this page: 269 name Geek Squad as the subject (offender field such as “Geek Squad” or “Best Buy - Geek Squad”) and 57 more name Best Buy as the offender but put Geek Squad in the title, and are linked as related, not as Geek Squad's own. By year, the 269 direct posts are: 2006 (20), 2007 (17), 2008 (31), 2009 (45), 2010 (40), 2011 (50), 2012 (47), 2013 (18) and 2023 (1). They are unverified accounts written by the submitters; the company's responses, where any exist, are not shown. We left out posts that duplicate another, machine-garbled posts and posts that are not complaints about Geek Squad service.

What the direct posts describe (keyword counts across the 269 direct posts; a post can match several): repair delays or unresolved repairs (175); diagnostic fees, charges and refunds (175); customer service and appointment problems (142); in-home TV, appliance and installation service (120); data loss, wiped or damaged devices (112); extended-warranty, service-plan and Black Tie protection disputes (102); virus and malware removal (48).

BBB, as displayed on October 6, 2026. The BBB profile for Best Buy Stores, LP - US Headquarters (Minneapolis, MN) shows rating A+, “BBB Accredited”, 12,714 total complaints in the last 3 years, 4,079 complaints closed in the last 12 months, and “1.08 /5 stars” from 1,788 customer reviews. These numbers cover Best Buy as a whole, not Geek Squad alone, and are not added to the archive counts above.

Trustpilot, as displayed on October 6, 2026. For www.geeksquad.com Trustpilot shows 1.9 from 556 reviews, 57 of them in the last 12 months, a claimed profile, “No recent history of asking for reviews” (so reviews may not be representative) and that the company “Hasn’t replied to negative reviews”. Trustpilot says it does not fact-check reviews.

Regulators. No state attorney-general, FTC or other regulator enforcement action naming Geek Squad is listed on this page: none was identified in the sources reviewed on October 6, 2026 (the FTC consumer alert and data spotlight below, Best Buy's SEC filings and the CourtListener dockets in the next section). The FTC and state enforcement databases were not searched exhaustively. The FTC items found concern impersonation of Geek Squad: its April 2024 data spotlight says “More people reported impersonation of Geek Squad in 2023 than any other impersonated company” and that reports increased over 100-fold from 2020 to 2023.

EDITORIAL

Geek Squad court cases and filings

The dockets and opinions below were opened on CourtListener on October 6, 2026. Allegations are not findings. The Ware and Standifer entries involve Best Buy Stores, L.P. in connection with Geek Squad; Best Buy's other litigation belongs on the separate Best Buy page.

Ware v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. (Geek Squad Protection Plan, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act). The Seventh Circuit's opinion (No. 20-1641, decided July 29, 2021) says the plaintiffs bought a Samsung plasma television and the five-year “Geek Squad Protection Plan” in 2013; the television failed in year four and could not be repaired because parts were unavailable, and Best Buy chose a gift card as the remedy. They sued on behalf of a putative national class, claiming the Plan is a full “written warranty” under the Act. The district court dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6), holding that the Plan is not a “written warranty”; the Seventh Circuit held the federal courts lacked subject-matter jurisdiction, “VACATED” the judgment and remanded with instructions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, so it did not decide the warranty question and the district court's merits ruling no longer stands. The district court dismissed for lack of jurisdiction without prejudice on August 25, 2021. The plaintiffs then sued in Cook County, Illinois (No. 21 CH 4264); on May 23, 2024 the Illinois Appellate Court, First District (No. 1-23-1326) affirmed dismissal with prejudice under the single-refiling rule of section 13-217. The only merits ruling on the warranty question was the vacated district-court ruling; the Illinois decision rested on the refiling rule. I did not check for any later review.

Standifer v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. (customer data copied to another customer's computer). In a January 30, 2019 opinion (N.D. Ala., No. 7:16-cv-01176) the court recited that the plaintiff bought a new computer, asked Best Buy to transfer her data under a Data Services Agreement that referred to Geek Squad, and that files from her original computer were later found on another customer's iMac; a forensic report put the copying on August 23, 2015 while both computers were in Best Buy's possession, and the court noted it remained unclear how it happened. It granted and denied each side's summary-judgment motions in part, finding evidence from which a jury could find negligence, and limiting some damages. On March 19, 2019 the court dismissed the case with prejudice after the parties reported a settlement; the terms are not in the docket.

Adibzadeh v. Best Buy Co., Inc. and Geek Squad, Inc. (N.D. Cal., No. 4:20-cv-06257). A putative class complaint filed September 3, 2020 alleged, under California consumer-protection and security-licensing statutes, that the defendants sold and used unlicensed third-party installers for home security systems. On March 2, 2021 the court granted the defendants' motion to compel individual arbitration and granted their motion to dismiss. The docket does not show what happened in arbitration.

Criminal case in which a repair-shop search was challenged. In United States v. Rettenmaier (C.D. Cal., No. 8:14-cr-00188) the defendant moved to suppress evidence from a search of his computer by Best Buy personnel; on May 15, 2017 the court denied the motion on illegal search and granted in part a separate motion under Franks v. Delaware. Best Buy was not a party. The government appealed, then moved to dismiss, and the indictment was dismissed on November 20, 2017. The docket does not state why the government moved to dismiss.

EDITORIAL

Is Geek Squad Legitimate?

Geek Squad is the in-house tech support and repair brand of Best Buy Co., Inc., a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange; its plan terms name Best Buy Stores, L.P. as the entity behind “Best Buy” and “Geek Squad”. Since December 8, 2025 the obligor and administrator of its Geek Squad Protection plans is Assurant, as described above, and the plan is secured by an insurance policy from American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, with each description taken from Best Buy's own notices. The BBB profile for Best Buy Stores, LP shows A+ and “BBB Accredited” as displayed on October 6, 2026, alongside the complaint and review numbers shown above.

The archive of user posts on this site reports repair delays, data loss, disputed charges and plan-coverage disputes for 2006 to 2013, which are unverified and old. In the sources reviewed, the one merits ruling on a plan question (that the Plan is not a “written warranty” under the Magnuson-Moss Act, in Ware) was vacated by the Seventh Circuit for lack of jurisdiction; the other outcomes ended on a refiling bar, arbitration and a settlement, and none is a finding of liability. Separately, the FTC reports heavy impersonation of the Geek Squad name, so a message about a Geek Squad charge may not come from the company; check the number against Best Buy's own pages.

PUBLIC RECORD

Court & Public Records

CaseAuthorityDatesTypeOutcomeSource
Ware v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. and Samsung Electronics (Geek Squad Protection Plan; Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act) — federal action
Docket No. 1:18-cv-00886		U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois (appeal: Seventh Circuit No. 20-1641)
DismissedDismissed

The plaintiffs alleged the Geek Squad Protection Plan was a full written warranty under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and that Best Buy's gift-card remedy violated it. The district court held that the Plan was not a written warranty and dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6) (final judgment March 20, 2020). On July 29, 2021 the Seventh Circuit held the federal courts lacked subject-matter jurisdiction, vacated that judgment and remanded with instructions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, so it did not decide the issue; on August 25, 2021 the district court dismissed for lack of jurisdiction without prejudice.

Source
Ware v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. (d/b/a Best Buy, Geek Squad, and Magnolia Home Theater) — Illinois state action
Docket No. 21 CH 4264; appeal No. 1-23-1326		Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois; Appellate Court of Illinois, First District—
DismissedDismissed

After the federal dismissals, the plaintiffs refiled in Cook County asserting the Magnuson-Moss claim and a new Illinois Consumer Fraud Act claim. The circuit court dismissed with prejudice under the single-refiling rule of 735 ILCS 5/13-217. On May 23, 2024 the Appellate Court held the action “is barred by the single-refiling rule” and affirmed (2024 IL App (1st) 231326), without deciding whether the Plan is a written warranty. I did not check for any later review.

Source
Standifer v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. (customer files transferred to another customer's computer)
Docket No. 7:16-cv-01176		U.S. District Court, N.D. Alabama
SettledSettled

On January 30, 2019 the court granted in part and denied in part each side's summary-judgment motion, finding circumstantial evidence from which a jury could find Best Buy negligent in handling the plaintiff's data, while limiting some categories of damages. On March 19, 2019 the court dismissed the case with prejudice, recording that the parties reported a settlement; the settlement terms do not appear in the docket.

Source
Adibzadeh v. Best Buy Co., Inc. and Geek Squad, Inc. (home security installation licensing; putative class action)
Docket No. 4:20-cv-06257-JSW		U.S. District Court, N.D. California
DismissedDismissed

The complaint alleged violations of California consumer-protection and security-licensing laws relating to unlicensed installers of home security systems. On March 2, 2021 the court granted the defendants' motion to compel individual arbitration and granted the motion to dismiss. These are the plaintiff's allegations; the docket does not show any arbitration result.

Source
CONSUMER ALLEGATION

Related Complaints

Names this company in a role other than the primary subject — not necessarily current or complete.

VERIFIED

Company Relationships

  • Acquired by: Best Buy Co., Inc.
  • Affiliated with: Best Buy Stores, L.P.
  • Affiliated with: Assurant (Federal Warranty Service Corporation, United Service Protection, Inc., Assurant Service Protection, Inc.)
EDITORIAL

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cancel a Geek Squad Protection plan and get a refund?

Section 12.2.2 of the Geek Squad Protection Plan terms (version 2025-08-12 to present) says “There are no fees to cancel this Plan” and lists four routes: the Plans & Subscriptions page at BestBuy.com/services/planlist, any Best Buy store, 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778), or a mailed notice to GSP Plans, ATTN: Cancellations, P.O. Box 9312, Minneapolis, MN 55440-9312. Cancel within 30 days and the terms promise a full refund less the value of any service provided; later, a One-Time-Pay plan gets a pro rata refund of the unexpired term less the cost of any service, and a monthly plan gets “a pro-rated refund” for the days remaining in the month, less the cost of services received that month. Some states have their own rules in the terms' state-by-state section.

I got an email or text saying Geek Squad will charge me hundreds of dollars. Is it from Geek Squad?

The FTC's October 25, 2022 consumer alert describes messages that say you were or will be charged hundreds of dollars to renew a Geek Squad membership and tell you to call a number within 24 hours. The FTC says: “contact the company in question using a phone number you know is real. Do not use the number included in the message.” It also says to check your card or bank account for an unauthorized charge. Best Buy's “Protect yourself” page gives 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) and [email protected] for reporting suspected impersonation. The FTC's alert says to report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Who pays claims on a Geek Squad Protection plan now?

Best Buy's obligor-change notice says that effective December 8, 2025 the plan's Obligor and Administrator is Assurant: Federal Warranty Service Corporation in all states and Puerto Rico except Florida (United Service Protection, Inc.) and Oklahoma (Assurant Service Protection, Inc.). It says coverage and terms stay the same and customers continue to contact Best Buy for support. The plan terms say the plan is secured by an insurance policy from American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida; if a claim is unpaid after 60 days or you are otherwise dissatisfied you may claim directly with the insurer at P.O. Box 105689, Atlanta, GA 30348-5689 or 800-852-2244.

What happens if my product keeps failing after repairs?

The plan terms' “No Lemon Benefit” says that if the covered product “requires a third repair concerning the same defect during the Coverage Period”, Geek Squad provides a remedy under Section 7 (repair or replacement terms; replacements “may be new or refurbished”, and a gift card or store credit up to the original price is possible) and the plan's obligations are then fulfilled in their entirety. The benefit has conditions, including completing the transaction within 90 days of authorization, and Section 5.1.3 lists services that do not count as a repair for it (for example virus or spyware removal, troubleshooting and diagnosis, and accessory repairs). Read the full Section 5.1.3 and your state's variations.

How do I cancel My Best Buy Total, and what happens to my protection plans?

The My Best Buy Total Terms of Service (version June 2026) say you may cancel by calling 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289), visiting a store, or using bestbuy.com/services/planlist. For a yearly membership the “Purchase Grace Period” is 60 days, with a full refund of the then-current term inside it (less the value of benefits used) and a pro-rated refund after. Cancelling Total “will result in the automatic, immediate cancellation of any Best Buy Protection or AppleCare+ plans that were provided under your Membership”, though Best Buy may at its discretion let you assume payment.

Should I back up my data before Geek Squad repairs my computer?

Geek Squad's 24/7 Support terms say it is the customer's responsibility to back up data before servicing, and the same terms exclude recovery or reinstallation of data. The current Geek Squad Protection Plan terms (Section 14.2.2) say: “WE SPECIFICALLY DO NOT WARRANT” that repair or replacement can be done “WITHOUT RISK TO OR LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR DATA”. A 2019 federal opinion (Standifer v. Best Buy Stores, L.P.) recites that a Geek Squad Data Services Agreement limited liability for indirect damages; the court found that clause ambiguous as to some claims. Several archived posts on this site describe data lost during repairs; they are unverified.

Is Geek Squad the same company as Best Buy?

Geek Squad is a Best Buy brand. Best Buy's fiscal 2003 Form 10-K reports that it acquired all of the common stock of Geek Squad, Inc. in the third quarter of fiscal 2003, and its fiscal 2026 10-K lists Geek Squad among its brand names. The plan terms say “Best Buy” or “Geek Squad” refers to Best Buy Stores, L.P.

Has Geek Squad been sued?

Court records exist. The ones reviewed on October 6, 2026 are: Ware v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. over the Geek Squad Protection Plan (federal judgment, including a ruling that the Plan is not a written warranty, vacated for lack of jurisdiction in 2021; Illinois appellate court affirmed dismissal on a refiling bar in 2024), Standifer v. Best Buy Stores, L.P. over customer data (settled and dismissed in 2019), and Adibzadeh v. Best Buy Co., Inc. and Geek Squad, Inc. (compelled to individual arbitration and dismissed in 2021). In Ware the district court's ruling that the Plan is not a written warranty was vacated for lack of jurisdiction; the other outcomes ended on a refiling bar, arbitration or a settlement, and none is a finding of liability. See the litigation section for dates and limits.

What phone number does Geek Squad use?

The geeksquad.com Services page shows 1-888-237-8289, which Best Buy's “Protect yourself” page gives as 1-888-BEST BUY. The Geek Squad Protection Plan terms give 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778) for service, plan transfers and cancellation. Do not rely on or call a number in an unexpected message; get Best Buy's number independently from its official website. Best Buy's corporate page also lists Customer Care at 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289).