Millions of Amazon Prime customers could receive automatic settlement payments starting October 1, 2026, following an agreement between Amazon and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The payments are part of a $2.5 billion settlement reached in September 2025 over allegations that Amazon enrolled customers in Prime memberships without their consent and made it difficult for subscribers to cancel their memberships.
On September 17, 2026, the FTC announced that Amazon would accelerate and expand payments to eligible consumers. The revised agreement also increases the maximum total payment from $51 to $200 for qualifying customers.
According to the FTC, Amazon has already distributed more than $845 million in refunds as of September 2026. The company is required to provide up to $1.5 billion in consumer refunds, along with a separate $1 billion civil penalty.
Do Amazon Prime Customers Need to File a Claim?
No. Eligible customers do not need to submit a claim or complete additional paperwork to receive their settlement payments.
Under the revised agreement, all future payments will be distributed automatically. This removes the need for customers to respond to notices or submit forms to Amazon.
The FTC confirmed that the automatic payment process is intended to make refunds available to more affected consumers without requiring additional action from them.
How Will Amazon Send Settlement Payments?
Eligible customers will receive their payments through one of two methods:
- Electronic payments: Customers can receive their money through PayPal or Venmo.
- Mailed checks: Customers who receive payments by mail will be sent a physical check.
Consumers do not need to complete a separate application to receive their money.
When Will Amazon Settlement Payments Be Issued?
Under the revised settlement, Amazon will begin issuing another round of automatic payments on October 1, 2026.
This payment phase will include millions of additional customers who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits during a one-year period. These customers were not included in the earlier refund phases, which primarily covered subscribers who used fewer than 10 Prime benefits during the same period.
The revised agreement expands eligibility to include this additional group of affected Prime members.
How Much Money Can Eligible Customers Receive?
The revised settlement increases the maximum total refund from $51 to $200 per eligible customer.
Customers who have already accepted an earlier settlement payment may qualify for an additional $149, bringing their total refund to $200.
The agreement also includes another payment phase if consumer-accepted payments do not reach the required threshold by February 2027.
According to the FTC, supplemental payments for previously refunded customers will begin by April 2027 and will also be distributed automatically.
The expanded settlement is intended to provide refunds to more consumers affected by Amazon Prime enrollment and cancellation practices, without requiring them to navigate a separate claims process.
