How you can receive as much as $51 from the Amazon Prime settlement in 2025

Amazon Prime Settlement Refunds: What You Need to Know

If you have not yet received a refund from Amazon as part of a recent settlement with federal authorities, you may need to take action this year to claim your money.

Currently, Amazon is distributing claim notifications, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions that scammers are attempting to exploit the situation. Exercise caution when responding to any communications regarding these refunds.

Back in September, the FTC revealed a $2.5 billion agreement with Amazon, following allegations that the company misled millions of customers into enrolling in its Prime membership and made it extremely challenging to cancel the subscription.

According to the terms of the settlement, qualifying Prime members are eligible for a refund of their subscription fees, up to a maximum of $51. The amount refunded will reflect the total Prime fees paid during the relevant subscription period.

Background on the Amazon Prime Case

The FTC described Amazon’s online checkout as presenting customers with multiple opportunities to sign up for Prime at $14.99 per month.

In a 2023 statement, the FTC noted, “The main goal of Amazon’s Prime cancellation process was to prevent subscribers from leaving, not to help them cancel.”

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated that evidence indicated Amazon used complex tactics to persuade consumers to join Prime and then made it very difficult to end their membership.

The FTC also reported that, in many cases, it was harder for customers to complete purchases without inadvertently subscribing to Prime.

Sometimes, the button to finalize a transaction did not make it clear that selecting it would also enroll the customer in a recurring Prime subscription.

When Did Refunds Begin?

After the settlement was finalized, Amazon began issuing automatic refunds to eligible Prime members in November and December of last year. These payments were to be distributed within 90 days to all qualifying customers.

Essentially, U.S. customers who met the criteria received their refunds automatically if they used no more than three Prime benefits within a 12-month window between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. (This excludes “free, expedited shipping” if that shipping speed would have been available without a Prime membership, as specified by the court.)

Who Is Eligible to File a Claim Now?

The second stage of the claims process is now open. If you already received an automatic payment, you are not eligible to file a new claim.

Those who qualify must submit a claim to receive any funds. Applicants need to confirm they were unintentionally enrolled in Prime during the six-year period, or that they attempted to cancel but were unsuccessful.

Claimants have up to 180 days from receiving the claim form to submit it to Amazon, either online, by first-class mail, or through the settlement website, as outlined in the court order dated September 25, 2025.

In January 2026, Amazon began sending claim forms to eligible Prime members who did not get an automatic refund. The notice will include instructions for submitting your claim.

U.S. consumers can participate in the claims process if they:

• Enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025,
• Used more than three but fewer than ten Prime benefits in any 12-month period during those dates, and
• Were unintentionally signed up through a “challenged enrollment flow” or tried to cancel online but couldn’t complete the process.

When completing the claim form, you can choose to receive your refund by check, PayPal, or Venmo.

Beware of Scams: FTC Issues Warning

The FTC emphasizes that it will not contact consumers by phone or any other means to offer refunds related to the Amazon settlement.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent the FTC, it is a scam. Report such incidents at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The FTC also reminds consumers that Amazon will never request payment in exchange for a refund. Only scammers claim to provide special access or guaranteed refunds for a fee.

Amazon has not yet announced when payments will be sent to those who file claims, but it is expected that disbursements will occur in late 2026.

If you have used a significant number of Prime benefits since signing up, you are not eligible for a refund, even if you believe you were misled into joining.

For assistance with your payment or claim form, contact Amazon at admin@SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com.

Understanding “Challenged Enrollment Flows”

If you are unsure whether you were enrolled through a “challenged enrollment flow,” the FTC says that’s okay—Amazon will determine this for you.

Customers may have been signed up for Prime through various parts of Amazon’s website, such as the Universal Prime Decision Page, Shipping Option Select Page, Prime Video enrollment, or Single Page Checkout, according to the court order.

As part of the settlement, Amazon will pay $1.5 billion in refunds to eligible customers and an additional $1 billion as a civil penalty. The company did not admit or deny the allegations but agreed to implement changes to its website.

In a statement released in September 2025, Amazon asserted that it and its executives have always complied with the law.

The company added, “This settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers. We strive to make it clear and easy for customers to sign up for or cancel Prime memberships.”