Amazon settles with FTC, needs to pay Prime members $1.5 billion — here's how to claim your share

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Refunds coming soon for affected Amazon shoppers

Amazon logo on a building
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Amazon recently agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC over allegedly deceptive practices related to Prime memberships. While $1 billion goes to the government, the remaining $1.5 billion will be distributed to approximately 35 million affected customers, potentially putting up to $51 back in your pocket.

The settlement addresses specific Prime enrollment flows that the FTC claimed made it too easy to accidentally sign up. If you enrolled in Prime between 2019 and 2025 through certain website paths, you might be eligible for a refund.

1. Do you qualify for an automatic refund?

To receive an automatic refund (capped at $51), you must meet specific criteria established in the settlement.

You must have signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, through one of the "challenged enrollment flows." These include the Universal Prime Decision Page, Shipping Option Select Page, Prime Video enrollment flow, or Single Page Checkout.

Additionally, users who used Prime benefits three or fewer times within 12 months of signing up are eligible for the automatic refund. If you meet these criteria, Amazon will automatically issue your refund within 90 days of the settlement.

If you don't fall into this threshold don't worry, there's still a chance you're entitled to a refund.

2. Check for a claims form

If you don't qualify for an automatic refund but still signed up during the eligible period, you may qualify for the second round of refunds.

Amazon will send a claims form to customers who signed up through the challenged enrollment flows and used up to 10 Prime benefits in a 12-month period. This form will be sent within 30 days after the automatic refunds are distributed.

You'll have 180 days to complete and submit the claim form once you receive it. After reviewing your claim, Amazon will issue refunds within 30 days of approval.

3. Additional refund phases may follow

If Amazon distributes less than $1 billion after the first two refund phases, it must expand eligibility to more customers.

Keep an eye on your email in the coming months for communications about potential refunds, even if you don't initially qualify under the first two phases.

FAQs

Why is the automatic refund only for people who used Prime three times or fewer?

The FTC found that some people may have accidentally enrolled in Prime through confusing sign-up pages.

The automatic refund is designed for those users — specifically people who used Prime benefits three times or fewer within 12 months of joining, as these customers likely didn’t intend to sign up in the first place.

What if I’ve used Prime more than three times?

If you used Prime more often, you’re not excluded entirely. You may still qualify for the second round of refunds. Customers eligible for this round are those who enrolled through one of the disputed sign-up pages and used up to 10 Prime benefits within a 12-month period.

Once they receive the claim form, they’ll have 180 days to complete and submit it. After reviewing each submission, Amazon will issue refunds within 30 days of approval.

Do I have to sign up to receive my refund?

No. There isn't a sign up process.

If you qualify for an automatic refund, Amazon will process it for you. If you don’t meet the criteria for the automatic refund and are eligible for the second round of refunds, Amazon will email you a claim form. Once you receive it, you’ll have 180 days to complete and submit it.

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Kaycee Hill
Kaycee Hill
How-to Editor

Kaycee is Tom's Guide's How-To Editor, known for tutorials that get straight to what works. She writes across phones, homes, TVs and everything in between — because life doesn't stick to categories and neither should good advice. She's spent years in content creation doing one thing really well: making complicated things click. Kaycee is also an award-winning poet and co-editor at Fox and Star Books.

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