Amazon Introduces AI to Spot Fake Emails

Amazon has introduced a new safeguard against impersonation scams that lets users verify the authenticity of emails, text messages, and phone calls by asking Alexa for Shopping. The feature employs the company’s AI to cross‑check a received message against a comprehensive record of every official Amazon communication, examining its content, formatting and sender details. The assistant will only confirm a message as genuine when it is “completely certain,” according to Amazon’s own description.

In practice, a customer can simply say, “Did Amazon just text me an OTP from 98626? Message came around 4: …” and Alexa will analyze the text against Amazon’s database. If the message matches known patterns and records, Alexa will confirm its legitimacy; otherwise it will remain silent, prompting the user to proceed with caution. The feature is part of a broader effort to curb phishing and spoofing attacks that increasingly mimic Amazon’s brand.

While the tool offers a quick way for shoppers to verify suspicious communications, experts note that it is not a substitute for traditional security practices such as checking the sender’s email address or phone number and looking for subtle signs of fraud. Amazon’s announcement, reported by The Verge, highlights the company’s growing reliance on AI to protect its customer base from evolving cyber threats.