Amazon agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over how people were enrolled in Prime and how hard it was to cancel. The deal includes a $1 billion civil penalty and $1.5 billion set aside for customer refunds. Amazon did not admit wrongdoing.
If you paid for Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025, you could be eligible for money back. Some people will receive up to $51 automatically. Others will need to file a claim when the process opens. The amount depends on how you enrolled and how much you used Prime in a year.
The automatic refund targets low-usage accounts. Reports say people who used Prime three times or fewer in a twelve month period are in line for the $51 payment without doing anything. If you used it more than that but still meet the other criteria, you may qualify by filing a claim.
What happens next is simple. Amazon has to tell eligible customers how to get paid and post clear instructions on its site and app. The company has a deadline to notify people, and automatic refunds go first, followed by a claims window for everyone else. Keep an eye on your account messages and your email, but be careful with links and go to Amazon directly if you are unsure.
Prime sign up and cancellation are also supposed to get clearer. The settlement requires more transparent enrollment, an easy opt out at checkout, and a straightforward path to cancel.
My advice is to take two minutes today. Log in and confirm your email and mailing address. Review a normal year of orders and ask if Prime is still worth it for you. Set a reminder a month before renewal so you have time to decide. Then watch for the refund notice and follow the steps when it arrives.
