Eligibility is based on enrollment, cancellation and Prime use
The revised settlement order covers U.S. Amazon Prime customers who enrolled through a challenged enrollment flow or tried to cancel online but could not complete the cancellation between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. The FTC describes challenged enrollment flows as government-identified sign-up pathways that included the shipping-selection page and single-page checkout. Customers must also have used no more than 20 Prime benefits during any 12-month period after enrolling, including benefits such as Prime Video or Prime Music, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
How much eligible customers may receive
The settlement provides refunds of Prime subscription fees, with a maximum total payment of $200. The initial payment phase capped refunds at $51; the revised order permits additional payments of up to $149 for customers who already received money and extends eligibility to some customers who used 11 to 20 Prime benefits. The FTC says Amazon had issued more than $845 million in refunds by September 2026.
No claim form is required
How D.C. law addresses automatic renewals
Washington, D.C., already requires sellers of automatically renewing goods or services to clearly and conspicuously disclose the renewal provision and cancellation procedure in the contract. For certain automatic-renewal notices sent by email, the law also requires active links that allow consumers to cancel, according to the D.C. Council Code.
A separate D.C. Attorney General enforcement matter illustrates the type of subscription problem regulators have addressed: The agency said RubiRides failed to respond to cancellation and refund requests, withheld account balances and continued charging subscription fees for nonexistent services beginning in at least December 2023, according to the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General.
Qualifying customers are to receive payments automatically, without submitting a claim form. The available methods are a mailed check, Venmo or PayPal; the FTC's refund guidance does not list ordinary bank deposits as a payment method. Distribution is scheduled to begin October 1 and continue through April 2027. Each check or electronic payment expires 60 days after its issue date, so recipients must accept it within that period, according to the FTC. Questions about a payment can be sent to Amazon at [email protected].
What the settlement resolves
The $2.5 billion agreement resolves the FTC's allegations that Amazon enrolled consumers in Prime without proper consent and made cancellation difficult. It allocates $1.5 billion for consumer refunds and requires Amazon to pay a $1 billion civil penalty, as well as change its enrollment and cancellation practices, the Federal Trade Commission says.
Beware of refund scams
The FTC says it will not call consumers to demand money, threaten them or request payment credentials in exchange for a refund. Amazon will not ask customers to pay to receive settlement funds either. Suspected imposter scams can be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and consumers should not give personal information to anyone promising special access to a payment, according to the FTC.
