Alexa for Shopping Can Help Older Adults Avoid Scams
Online scams impersonating well-known companies have become one of the most common ways fraudsters target consumers.
Few brands are impersonated more often than Amazon.
Because so many people shop on Amazon and trust its name, scammers use that trust as a way in, sending fake messages designed to look like they're coming from the real company.
Amazon is the second most impersonated brand by scammers, behind only Best Buy and its Geek Squad tech support brand.
The Scope of The Problem
In 2021, the FTC reported that about 96,000 people said they were targeted by an Amazon impersonator, and nearly 6,000 of them said they lost money.
Reported losses totaled more than $27 million, with a median individual loss of $1,000.
That means for every person who reported losing money, the financial hit was often significant.
Older adults are hit hardest
The FTC has also found that Amazon impersonation scams may disproportionately harm older adults.
In 2020, people ages 60 and up were more than four times as likely as younger people to report losing money to an Amazon impersonator.
Older adults also reported losing more money on average. A median loss of $1,500, compared to $814 for people under 60.
How These Scams Typically Work
These scams typically start with a fake email, text message, or phone call that appears to come from Amazon.
The message might claim there's a problem with an order, a suspicious charge on the account, an issue with a Prime membership, or a delivery that needs attention.
From there, the scammer usually tries to get the victim to click a link, share personal or account information, or make a payment to "resolve" the fake issue.
Fortunately, there are ways to spot these scams before they cause any harm:
How to identify fake emails
How to identify fake text messages/SMS
How to identify fake phone calls
How to identify fake websites
Learning to recognize the warning signs in each of these formats is one of the best defenses — but scammers are constantly refining their tactics, and even careful, tech-savvy people can be fooled by a well-crafted fake message
You can always reach out to Amazon directly by phone or email to verify a suspicious message, but that process can take time and scammers count on that delay, or on people not bothering to check at all.
Now there's a faster option.
Alexa for Shopping
Instead of trying to research a suspicious message on your own or waiting on hold with customer service, you can simply describe the message to Alexa.
Just tell Alexa for Shopping where the message came from, when it arrived, and what it said, and it will tell you within seconds whether it's legitimate.
This turns what used to be a confusing, time-consuming verification process into a quick conversation which is especially valuable for older adults who may not want to navigate multiple menus, hold times, or unfamiliar websites just to confirm whether something is real.
Amazon suggests questions 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?"
A Role for Caregivers
If you're a caregiver, take a few minutes to walk your loved one through the feature and test it together.
Sit down with them, pick a recent message they've received (real or suspicious), and practice asking Alexa about it so they can see exactly how it responds.
That way, the next time a suspicious message shows up, they'll already know how to use the tool on their own rather than feeling unsure or hesitating to ask for help.
A little bit of proactive practice now can prevent a costly, stressful situation later.
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