Amazon Prime Refunds Are on the Way Now: How to Get Yours

Millions of Amazon Prime members who were misled by the retail giant are starting to get their refunds from a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. 

Multiple news outlets, including NBC and CBS, confirmed that Amazon payments have started going out this month, just in time for Black Friday.

Here is what you need to know to find out if you should be looking for one. 

How to get paid 

The FTC advises consumers to look for an email from Amazon sometime between Nov. 12 and Dec. 24. That should offer a payment via Venmo or PayPal. 

Those who do not wish to receive their reimbursement that way can get a check instead, and they still don’t have to do anything. 

Checks will go out by default to anyone who does not respond to the email. They will be sent to the default shipping address for their Prime subscription, and the FTC requests that they be cashed within 60 days. 

For more information, visit www.SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com, or click here for previous coverage.

Why is Amazon paying?  

Millions of customers based in the U.S. who signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, are part of this settlement if they enrolled through certain methods with which the FTC took issue. 

Customers who tried unsuccessfully to cancel their Prime membership during those dates are also eligible. 

Payments up to $51 are going out, but there is a catch. 

If you used more than two other Prime benefits, you are not eligible for the settlement. That includes people who watched Prime Video or listened to Amazon Music. 

Aside from the refunds, the FTC ordered Amazon to include “a clear and conspicuous button for customers to decline Prime,” and it must pay for an independent third-party supervisor to monitor compliance with that process. 

The company also must create an easier way for customers to cancel Prime that is not “difficult, costly or time-consuming and must be available using the same method that consumers used to sign up.” 

Also of note: The FTC says it is not contacting anyone about refunds, so if you get a message claiming to be from the government, that is a scam. 

That can be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. 

Additionally, no one from Amazon will request money to get a refund, according to the FTC. That is also a sign of a scam.