Millions of Amazon Prime subscribers could become eligible for automatic refunds of up to $200 following an expansion of the settlement between Amazon and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The agency said on September 17, 2026, that payments under the $2.5 billion settlement would be accelerated and expanded.
The settlement stems from an FTC case alleging that Amazon signed consumers up for Prime without their consent and created obstacles for customers trying to cancel their memberships. Amazon agreed to resolve the case through the settlement, without a separate trial determining the FTC’s allegations.
Who is newly eligible for the Amazon Prime refund?
The revised court-approved order expands the group of consumers eligible for automatic payments. Prime subscribers who used 11 to 20 Prime benefits during a qualifying one-year period are now included.
Previously, automatic payments of up to $51 were limited to consumers who had used fewer than 10 Prime benefits during the relevant period. The change therefore brings millions of additional subscribers into the automatic-refund programme.
When will the new payments be sent?
Payments for the newly eligible group are scheduled to start from October 1, 2026. Consumers who qualify are expected to receive their money through Venmo, PayPal or a mailed check.
The FTC’s settlement originally required Amazon to make up to $1.5 billion available for consumer refunds, in addition to a $1 billion civil penalty payable to the government. More than $845 million had already been distributed to consumers by September 2026, according to the FTC, as reported by USA Today.
Do Prime subscribers have to apply?
No. The expanded payments are designed to be automatic for consumers who meet the eligibility requirements. They do not need to submit a new claim, complete additional paperwork or respond to a notice to receive the payment under the automatic-refund provisions.
Why did Amazon agree to the settlement?
The FTC’s case centred on Amazon’s Prime signup and cancellation processes. The agency alleged that consumers could be misled into enrolling in Prime and that Amazon’s cancellation process made it difficult for some members to end their subscriptions.
The settlement resolves those allegations without a separate court trial or finding establishing the claims.
Could people who already received a refund get another payment?
Some consumers who have already received money could potentially receive an additional payment. Under the revised order, another round of automatic payments may be required if the total amount of settlement payments accepted by consumers remains below the specified threshold by February 2027.
If that condition is met, the additional payments are expected to begin by April 2027.
How much could the second payment be?
Eligible consumers could receive up to $149 more in the additional payment round. For someone who previously received a payment, this could bring the total amount received under the settlement to as much as $200.
The additional payment would also be automatic for consumers who meet the conditions, meaning they would not need to submit another claim.
The expansion significantly broadens the pool of Prime subscribers who may receive settlement money. For the newly included group, payments are scheduled to begin October 1, while a separate second-payment round could take place in 2027 if the conditions set out in the revised order are satisfied.