Millions of Amazon Prime customers in the US could receive automatic refunds starting October 1, 2026, under an expanded $2.5 billion settlement between Amazon and the US Federal Trade Commission.
The latest changes have widened the group of customers eligible for payments and increased the maximum total refund from $51 to $200.
Why Is Amazon Paying Refunds?
The payments are part of a settlement reached in 2025 after the FTC accused Amazon of enrolling customers into Prime without their consent and making it difficult for some subscribers to cancel their memberships.
Amazon agreed to provide up to $1.5 billion in consumer refunds and pay a separate $1 billion civil penalty.
Amazon has denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement.
Millions More Customers Now Eligible
The latest expansion specifically brings in customers who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits during any 12-month period following their enrolment.
Earlier payment phases primarily covered customers with lower Prime usage.
To qualify under the revised arrangement, customers must meet several conditions, including being a US Prime customer and having enrolled through one of the sign-up processes challenged by the FTC, or having unsuccessfully attempted to cancel through Amazon’s online cancellation process.
The relevant period runs from June 23, 2019, through June 23, 2025.
No Claim Form Is Required
One of the biggest changes is that eligible customers do not need to submit a new claim.
Amazon will automatically send payments to qualifying consumers through PayPal, Venmo or a mailed cheque.
Customers do not need to complete additional forms or respond to a notice to receive the payment.
Payments issued by cheque must be accepted or cashed within 60 days.
Refund Can Be Up To $200
The maximum total payment under the revised settlement has increased from $51 to $200.
However, receiving $200 is not guaranteed.
The amount will depend on the consumer’s eligibility and the settlement’s distribution process.
Customers who already received an earlier payment could also qualify for an additional payment of up to $149.
If the required amount of consumer redress has not been distributed by February 2027, these additional payments could begin by April 2027.
Amazon Has Already Paid $845 Million
Amazon had distributed more than $845 million in consumer refunds by September 2026.
The overall settlement requires up to $1.5 billion to be distributed to affected consumers.
The expanded payment programme is designed to distribute the remaining funds to additional eligible Prime customers.
Beware Of Amazon Refund Scams
The FTC has warned consumers to be careful about scams linked to the refund programme.
The FTC will not ask consumers to pay money to receive their refund.
Amazon and the FTC will also not ask eligible customers to pay a fee in exchange for special access to a settlement payment.
Consumers should be particularly cautious of unexpected calls, emails or messages asking for banking information or payment to process the refund.
Who Should Watch For The Payment?
The latest refund expansion applies to eligible US Prime customers who meet the settlement conditions.
Customers who qualify do not need to apply again. Payments are scheduled to begin from October 1, with the overall refund process continuing into 2027.
For consumers who have previously received a payment, additional automatic payments could also follow depending on the final distribution of the settlement funds.
Summary
Millions of eligible Amazon Prime customers in the US could begin receiving automatic refunds from October 1 under an expanded $2.5 billion FTC settlement. The maximum total payment has increased to $200, while customers using between 11 and 20 Prime benefits may now qualify. No new claim is required, with payments being sent through PayPal, Venmo or mailed cheques.
