Amazon customers are starting to receive automatic refundsafter the company's $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
Payments began going out to customers on Oct. 1, after a federal court approved a joint motion from the FTC and Amazon that expands eligibility and speeds up future payments to consumers, the agency announced Sept. 17. Under the revised order, more Prime customers will qualify for refunds, the maximum total payment has increased from $51 to $200, and future payments will be distributed automatically.
Amazon has issued more than $845 million in payments to consumers as of September 2026, according to the FTC.
The refunds stem from a $2.5 billion settlement resolving FTC allegations that Amazon enrolled millions
of consumers in Prime subscriptions without their consent and made the cancellation process unnecessarily difficult.
As part of the settlement, Amazon was required to provide up to $1.5 billion in refunds to affected consumers and pay a $1 billion civil penalty.
Who gets the Amazon settlement money?
Under the original order, Amazon was required to provide refunds of up to $51 to consumers who used fewer than 10 Prime benefits during a one-year period.
The revised order expands automatic refunds to millions of consumers who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits during a one-year period. Those customers were not included in earlier rounds of payments but will become eligible for automatic refunds beginning Oct. 1, 2026.
How will Amazon customers get the money?
Payments will be sent through Venmo, PayPal or mailed check. Eligible consumers will not be required to submit a claim, respond to a notice or fill out any forms.
Additional payments could also be issued in 2027, the FTC said.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Amazon settlement refunds are going out now. Who will get the money
