Amazon has started sending out automatic refunds to millions of customers as part of its $1.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC accused Amazon of using deceptive methods to enroll people in Prime memberships without their permission and then making it difficult to cancel.
Now, eligible customers can receive up to $51 back from their Prime subscription fees. If you signed up for Prime between 2019 and 2025 through certain enrollment flows and barely used the service, you might have money waiting for you. Here's how to claim your share of the settlement.
1. Do you qualify for an automatic refund?
To receive a refund, you need to meet three specific criteria. First, you must be a U.S. Prime member. Second, you had to have signed up through Amazon's "challenged enrollment flow" or tried and failed to cancel your subscription between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025.
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 meet all three requirements, you're eligible for a refund of your subscription fees, capped at $51.
2. Look for Amazon's email in your inbox
Amazon is sending out emails to eligible customers with instructions on how to receive their refund. These emails started going out recently and will continue through December 24, so don't panic if you haven't received yours yet.
The FTC explains that eligible consumers are receiving the actual Prime membership fees they paid up to $51, minus any refunds, credits, or chargebacks already returned. Check your spam or promotions folder if you don't see the email in your main inbox.
3. Choose your payment method
You have 15 days from receiving Amazon's email to accept your refund for digital payment. If you want the money deposited into your PayPal or Venmo account, follow the instructions in the email and accept the payment within that timeframe.
However, if you'd prefer to receive a paper check, simply ignore Amazon's email. By not responding, Amazon will automatically mail a check to the default shipping address on your Prime account. The FTC encourages cashing that check within 60 days of receiving it.
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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