Amazon Expands $2.5B FTC Prime Settlement Payments, Raises Maximum Refund to $200

Amazon began issuing automatic payments on Oct. 1 to millions of additional Prime customers under an expanded $2.5 billion Federal Trade Commission settlement, raising the maximum individual refund from $51 to $200. The FTC said a federal court approved a joint motion on Sept. 17 to accelerate and broaden payments. The eligible pool now includes customers who used 11 to 20 Prime benefits in a year, a group previously excluded. Payments are distributed without claims or forms via Venmo, PayPal, or mailed check. Amazon had disbursed more than $845 million through September 2026. If accepted payments fall below a required threshold before February 2027, Amazon will issue a supplemental round beginning by April 2027, with each recipient eligible for up to $149 more. The settlement, reached in September 2025, resolved FTC allegations that Amazon enrolled customers in Prime without consent and impeded cancellation. It includes a $1 billion civil penalty and a $1.5 billion consumer fund. Amazon denied wrongdoing and faces separate FTC antitrust suits.