Amazon expanded its refund program for Amazon Prime customers in the United States, and starting October 1, it initiated a new round of automatic payments that includes millions of consumers who had not participated in the earlier phases.
The main news is that the maximum total amount that an eligible customer can receive has increased from $51 to $200, following the approval of a modification to the agreement reached between Amazon and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States by a federal court.
However, this does not mean that all beneficiaries will immediately receive a $200 check. The amount depends on the Amazon Prime fees paid by each consumer and the phase of the program they are in.
The FTC officially reported that Amazon had already issued over 845 million dollars in refunds by September 2026.
Who can now receive a refund for Amazon Prime?
The extension benefits Amazon Prime customers in the United States who were affected by the enrollment and cancellation processes that were at the center of the FTC lawsuit.
According to the information updated by the agency, the conditions established by the agreement must be met: being an Amazon Prime customer in the United States; having signed up through one of the subscription processes questioned by the FTC or having attempted to cancel Prime online without success between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025; and having not used more than 20 Prime benefits during any 12-month period following enrollment.
Among these benefits, there may be services associated with the membership such as shipping, shopping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and other products included with Prime.
The major update since October 1 is the inclusion in the automatic consumer system of those who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits over a 12-month period. That group was not included in previous compensation rounds and can now receive the money automatically.
Do you need to file a claim to receive the money?
Not for this new phase. The revised order states that future payments will be made automatically to consumers identified as eligible, without the need to submit a new claim, respond to a notification, or complete additional forms.
Amazon can send the money via PayPal, Venmo, or check by postal mail.
The FTC maintains an official page dedicated to Amazon refunds, where consumers can check the requirements and updates of the program.
Will all eligible individuals receive 200 dollars?
No. The figure of 200 dollars is the maximum total allowed under the revised order.
The refunds correspond to the subscription fees for Amazon Prime paid by each eligible consumer, so the specific amount may be lower.
In the previous phases, the maximum was limited to 51 dollars per person. The new order raises the total limit to 200 dollars.
Additionally, there is a second possibility for those who have already received money: if the payments accepted by consumers do not meet the threshold required by the agreement by February 2027, Amazon will be obligated to distribute new automatic payments.
In that case, consumers who have already accepted a refund could receive up to an additional 149 dollars, bringing their total compensation to potentially 200 dollars. This supplementary round should begin no later than April 2027, according to the FTC.
When will the refund arrive?
Payments for the new group of consumers began to be distributed on October 1, 2026.
The FTC states that consumers who meet the requirements will receive their refunds automatically and that the process will continue until 2027.
Payments must be accepted or collected within the established timeframe. Those who have issues with a payment can contact the program administrator at admin@SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com.
Beware of scams related to refunds
The FTC also issued a particularly important warning given the scale of the program: the agency is not calling consumers to process these refunds.
No one from Amazon or the FTC should ask for money in exchange for releasing a payment, expediting a refund, or guaranteeing that a person qualifies.
One should also be wary of unexpected messages requesting passwords, money transfers, security codes, or other sensitive information with the promise of obtaining a refund.
The $2.5 billion agreement between Amazon and the FTC
The origin of the payments lies in the lawsuit filed by the FTC against Amazon, in which the agency accused the company of enrolling consumers in Amazon Prime without proper consent and making it difficult to cancel the membership.
The case concluded in September 2025 with a settlement valued at $2.5 billion: up to $1.5 billion allocated for consumer compensation and a civil penalty of $1 billion.
Amazon did not admit liability as part of the settlement. The company maintained that it and its executives had complied with the law and stated that the agreement allowed it to move past the litigation and continue working on Prime.
CiberCuba reported in November 2025 about the initial rounds of refunds, when the maximum per consumer was 51 dollars and the first payments began to appear in PayPal and Venmo accounts.
The difference now is substantial: the program has expanded to new consumers, the next payments will be automatic, and the maximum possible accumulation increases to 200 dollars.
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