Amazon's Alexa can now verify suspicious messages

We have seen plenty of scams borrow , and some of them look convincing enough to make almost anyone hesitate.

Earlier this summer, we showed you a fake Amazon email that claimed there was unusual activity on an account and pushed the recipient to "Sign In to Verify." The message even suggested a document might need to be uploaded. We have also warned about fake Amazon recruiting texts promising hundreds of dollars a day for easy remote work.

The stories change, but scammers keep coming back to Amazon because so many of us use it. A delivery warning or account alert can feel believable when you are already expecting a package.

Now Amazon is giving customers a new way to answer the question we keep asking when these messages arrive: Did Amazon actually send this? The company says about 360,000 customers contact Amazon customer service every year asking whether a message is real. Its latest answer is built into Alexa for Shopping.

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Here is how the new verification tool works, what it can tell you and why you should still keep your guard up when an Amazon message feels suspicious.

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Amazon says U.S. customers can now ask Alexa for Shopping whether an email, text, phone call or other message actually came from Amazon. Alexa for Shopping is Amazon's AI shopping assistant. It helps customers find products, compare items and manage shopping through natural conversation. Prime membership is not required to use Alexa for Shopping, but if you are considering joining, see our guide on how to get a cheap Amazon Prime membership at Cyberguy.com.

Now, you can also use Alexa for Shopping when something suspicious lands on your phone or computer. Instead of trying to judge a message by appearance alone, you can describe it to Alexa for Shopping.

You might ask: "Did Amazon send me a text about a delivery problem yesterday?" Or you could ask whether a Prime membership email came from Amazon. You can even provide details about a phone call from someone claiming to offer an Amazon refund. The verification tool then checks the information you provide against Amazon's own communication records.

When you ask Alexa for Shopping about a suspicious communication, provide details about where it came from and when you received it. You can also tell the assistant what the message said. Amazon then compares those details with its records.

According to the company, its technology looks at information such as the sender and message content. It also considers timing and formatting.

That gives Amazon an advantage over tools that simply search for suspicious wording or potentially dangerous links. Amazon can compa