Amazon has begun sending refund payments to eligible Prime members as part of its $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for misleading customers into signing up for the subscription service membership.
The online retailer agreed to pay affected members in September after being accused of using deceptive methods and tricking them into signing up for its Prime subscription service, which made it difficult for customers to cancel the feature, according to a 2023 lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission.
Under the settlement, Amazon agreed to pay $1.5 billion in refunds to more than 35 million customers who “were harmed by their deceptive Prime enrollment practices,” the FTC stated. However, the e-commerce company has neither admitted nor denied the accusations.
“Amazon and our executives have always followed the law and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers,” the company said in a statement. “We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world. We will continue to do so, and look forward to what we’ll deliver for Prime members in the coming years.”
Here’s what to know about the payouts, including when Amazon began issuing payments, who is eligible, and how much customers will receive from the settlement.
When is Amazon sending payments?
Amazon is issuing automatic payments between Nov. 12 and Dec. 24, according to CBS News. Christopher Bissex, the FTC’s deputy director of public affairs, revealed how eligible customers will receive their payouts.
“Our settlement required Amazon to pay those people who clearly qualify without them having to do anything,” he told the outlet. “So those people are getting the automatic payments.”
Bissex also stated that if Prime members don’t receive an automatic refund, they can file a claim starting Dec. 24. They will also receive a notice about the claim between Dec. 24 and Jan. 23.
Who is eligible for an Amazon settlement refund?
Amazon customers who joined Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, may be eligible for a refund if they experienced failed cancellation attempts or enrolled through certain “challenged” pages, including the Universal Prime Decision Page, Shipping Option Select Page, Prime Video enrollment, or Single Page Checkout, according to Blavity.
How much money will eligible Amazon customers receive?
Eligible customers will receive the maximum amount of $51, which includes the Prime subscription fees added on from the service.