Millions more Amazon Prime customers could get automatic refunds starting next week
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Millions more Amazon Prime customers could begin receiving automatic refunds starting next week.
Amazon will begin sending payments Thursday, Oct. 1, to additional customers covered by its settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, according to the FTC.
The payments stem from a $2.5 billion settlement reached in 2025 over allegations that Amazon enrolled customers in Prime without their consent and made it difficult for some subscribers to cancel. Amazon agreed to provide up to $1.5 billion in consumer refunds and pay a $1 billion civil penalty.
Amazon had already distributed more than $845 million in refunds as of September, according to the FTC.
A federal court recently approved changes expanding who qualifies and increasing the maximum total payment from $51 to $200.
Who qualifies for an Amazon Prime refund?
Under the revised settlement, customers must meet all three of the following requirements:
- Be an Amazon Prime customer in the United States.
- Have enrolled through one of the Prime signup processes challenged by the FTC, or unsuccessfully tried to cancel through Amazon’s online cancellation process, between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025.
- Have used no more than 20 Prime benefits during any 12-month period following enrollment.
Prime benefits can include services such as Prime Video or Prime Music offered as part of the membership.
The Oct. 1 expansion specifically brings in millions of additional consumers who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits during a one-year period and were not included in earlier refund phases.
RELATED STORIES
- Amazon raises its minimum wage for full-time workers ahead of holiday shopping season
- Baton Rouge becomes first city in La. to offer Amazon drone delivery
Do customers need to file a claim?
No.
The FTC says future payments will be sent automatically, meaning eligible customers do not need to submit a claim, fill out paperwork or respond to a notice.
Payments can arrive through PayPal, Venmo or a mailed check.
Consumers should accept or cash their payment within 60 days of the issue date.
How much could customers receive?
Eligible customers can receive refunds for Prime membership fees totaling as much as $200 under the revised settlement.
That does not mean everyone receiving a payment beginning Oct. 1 will immediately receive $200.
Earlier refunds were capped at $51. Under the revised agreement, Amazon could later send eligible customers who have already accepted payments an additional amount of up to $149, bringing their total refund to as much as $200. Those supplemental payments would begin by April 2027 if required under the settlement.
Watch out for Amazon refund scams
The FTC is also warning consumers about potential scams surrounding the payments.
The agency says the FTC will not contact consumers about these Amazon refunds, and neither Amazon nor the FTC will ask someone to pay money to receive a refund.
Anyone promising special access or a guaranteed refund in exchange for money is a scammer, according to the FTC.
Eligible customers should receive their refunds automatically by April 2027.
Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.