Amazon.com Inc.

09/02/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/02/2026 07:06

Is that message really from Amazon? Just ask Alexa for Shopping.

Key takeaways

  • Amazon customers in the U.S. can now ask Alexa for Shopping to verify whether a message, email, phone call, or text came from Amazon-getting a clear answer in seconds.
  • Only Amazon can definitively confirm whether communication originated from our own systems by drawing on a catalog of billions of messages sent by Amazon teams globally.
  • Every communication submitted for verification is automatically reported to Amazon, feeding intelligence that helps take down bad actors and protect more customers.
Amazon is making it easier to tell the difference between real messages from the company and fake ones from scammers. Every year, 360,000 customers contact Amazon customer service with the same question: "Is this message from Amazon real?" Now, customers can simply ask Alexa for Shopping, the world's best, most personalized AI assistant for shopping, whether a message, email, phone call, or text they received came from Amazon.

6 tips to help you spot and avoid scams impersonating Amazon

How to recognize fake emails, texts, and calls-and what to do if you receive one.

"Scammers thrive when customers can't easily verify whether a message is real," said Scott Knapp, vice president of worldwide buyer risk prevention at Amazon. "That's why we built a tool to put certainty directly in customers' hands, in real time, when they need it most. It's part of our broader commitment to educate and empower customers and protect them against scams."
Alexa for Shopping already helps customers find products, compare items, and manage their carts through natural conversation. Now, it also helps them stay safe. By integrating communication verification into Alexa for Shopping, Amazon is bringing trust and security directly into an experience customers already use every day.
The Alexa for Shopping communication verification tool adds to the list of ways customers can verify Amazon communications. Earlier this year, Amazon launched "[email protected]"-an email address available to anyone in the world, Amazon customer or not, where you can forward a suspicious message and receive a verification response confirming whether it's genuinely from Amazon. No app or Amazon account required. Customers can also use a dedicated verification form on Amazon's customer service pages, which walks them through submitting communication details and provides an instant result. Together with Alexa for Shopping, these three options give customers multiple ways to confirm whether a message is genuine in whichever experience works best for them.

How do I verify a message with Alexa for Shopping?

Using Alexa for Shopping to verify communication is straightforward:
  • Ask: You can ask Alexa for Shopping about the message you received by providing information about where the message came from, when it arrived, and what it said.
  • Verify: The tool checks those details against Amazon's record of every communication it has sent, analyzing sender information, content, timing, and formatting.
  • Get your answer: Within seconds, you receive a clear response: confirmed from Amazon, not from Amazon, or unable to verify, along with educational tips and next steps.

How to use Alexa for Shopping to compare products, check price history, auto-buy items at target prices, and more

From price tracking to automated purchases to new release alerts, here's how to get the most out of Amazon's AI shopping assistant.

Try asking Alexa for Shopping something like:
  • "Did Amazon send me a text about a delivery problem yesterday?"
  • "Is this email about my Prime membership from Amazon real?"
  • "I got a call about a refund from someone saying they're from Amazon. Was that real?"
  • "Someone texted me from [phone number] about a package. Is that Amazon?"
  • "I received a WhatsApp message saying my account is locked. Did Amazon send that?"
When you ask Alexa for Shopping to verify a message or call, the tool provides one of three clear responses:
  • If it's from Amazon: "Yes, this message is an official Amazon communication." The response confirms the message type, source, date, and time-plus tips to keep your account secure, like setting up passkeys and two-step verification.
  • If it's not from Amazon: "This message does not appear to match any official Amazon communication based on the information provided." The response includes actionable next steps, such as checking your orders in the app, contacting Amazon directly through amazon.com/support, and avoiding clicking links or replying.
  • If it can't be confirmed: When the tool cannot verify with certainty, it tells you it's unable to confirm and provides guidance, including steps to resubmit with more specific information or to try "[email protected]" for an alternative verification path.
Every response-even when the answer is "not from Amazon"-includes safety tips and educational guidance, such as "Amazon will never ask for your password, one-time passcode, or sensitive personal information over the phone." When a customer asks Alexa for Shopping to verify a message, Amazon proactively reports it to its customer protection and enforcement team. Every report feeds the intelligence that helps identify emerging scam tactics, take down bad actors, and protect more customers.

How does it work?

While other tools analyze general patterns like suspicious URLs or common scam language, only Amazon can definitively confirm whether communication originated from its systems. The technology uses AI to compare what a customer received against a record of every message Amazon has sent by analyzing who sent the message, what it says, when it was sent, and how it's formatted. The tool only confirms a message is real when it's completely certain.
If a customer receives a communication that the tool cannot verify as coming from Amazon, it guides them to report it directly and provides additional tips on protecting themselves against scams, keeping their account secure, and reaching Amazon support.

How do I stay safe?

Amazon is often impersonated by scammers, but the company invests heavily in protecting consumers. Amazon's proactive measures prevent millions of suspected scam calls from reaching customers worldwide, and the company regularly educates hundreds of millions of customers on best practices.

Inside the AI systems Amazon uses to protect every part of your shopping experience

Amazon's first Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report shares new details on how we protect customers, brands, and selling partners across our global store.

In addition to the verification tool, there are steps customers can take right now to protect themselves. Be wary of false urgency, never purchase gift cards as a form of payment, and remember that Amazon will never ask for payment over the phone or email. Customers can also check what others are reporting-in the U.S., Amazon has partnered with the Better Business Bureau to provide a searchable Scam Tracker that lets them look up suspicious communications by email, URL, or phone number. For more tips, visit Amazon Security.
Launching in the U.S. through Alexa for Shopping, the communication verification tool will expand to additional regions over time. Customers worldwide can also verify communications today by forwarding them to "[email protected]" or using the customer service verification form.
Whether you are an Amazon customer or not, you can always report scams to Amazon anytime, in 28 languages, on your mobile phone or desktop.
Next, learn how Amazon is using generative and agentic AI to transform the shopping experience.
Amazon.com Inc. published this content on September 02, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 02, 2026 at 13:10 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]