Amazon has introduced a new feature designed to help customers guard against impersonation scams by using its AI assistant to check whether an email, text message, or phone call genuinely originated from the company.
With the update, shoppers can ask Alexa for Shopping about a message they have received, and the assistant will use artificial intelligence to assess its authenticity. The tool compares the message against a record of every communication Amazon has sent, while also analysing its contents, formatting, and the sender details.
How the verification feature works
Rather than requiring customers to scrutinise suspicious messages themselves, the feature lets them pose a direct question to the assistant. According to Amazon, one example involves a customer asking whether the company had just sent a one-time passcode from a particular number, including the approximate time the message arrived.
The assistant then draws on Amazon’s own records and its analysis of the message to reach a conclusion. This approach is intended to make it easier for people to identify fraudulent communications that mimic official Amazon correspondence, a common tactic used in impersonation scams.
A cautious approach to confirmation
A key element of the feature is its emphasis on certainty. Amazon has stated that the assistant will only confirm that a message is genuine when it is completely certain of its authenticity. This deliberately conservative standard is designed to reduce the risk of customers being wrongly reassured about a fraudulent message.
The move reflects growing concern over scams that rely on fake emails, texts, and calls purporting to come from major retailers. By building the check directly into Alexa for Shopping, Amazon aims to give customers a straightforward way to confirm the legitimacy of the messages they receive across multiple channels, including email, SMS, and telephone contact.
The feature covers communications such as order updates and one-time passcodes, both of which are frequently exploited by fraudsters attempting to trick recipients into handing over personal or account information. Customers can direct their queries to the AI assistant to establish whether a specific message forms part of Amazon’s official records.
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