PSA: Amazon’s shopping AI can now tell you if that message is a scam

Amazon is rolling out artificial intelligence to assist shoppers in determining if an Amazon-related message they receive is genuine or a scam, according to an announcement made on Wednesday. The company noted that approximately 360,000 customers annually contact its customer service team, questioning the authenticity of messages purportedly from Amazon.

To address this issue, Amazon unveiled its AI-powered consumer service, Alexa for Shopping, which can now definitively verify the legitimacy of communications by cross-referencing them against the company's extensive global message database. This AI evaluates various factors such as sender information, content, timing, and message metadata to ascertain the authenticity of a message.

Amazon explained that as more customers report suspicious messages, the AI will continue to improve its ability to detect scams more effectively in the future. This new capability is an extension of Amazon's ongoing efforts to combat the increasing number of scams, which include fake order confirmations, Prime membership renewal alerts, account suspension warnings, package delivery notifications, and job scams.

Earlier this year, Amazon launched the email address verify@amazon.com for forwarding suspicious messages, which then receives responses confirming whether the email was legitimate or a scam. Additionally, the company provides an online form on its customer service website for the same purpose. The introduction of this AI feature exemplifies Amazon's evolving strategy for Alexa, focusing more on its utility in assisting with shopping queries and providing proactive support.

Recently, Amazon added an Alexa feature that enables customers to receive alerts for anything new or relevant, such as a favorite brand releasing a new product, an author publishing a new book, or an artist releasing a new record. Alexa for Shopping is accessible via both the Amazon website and mobile application.