Amazon is paying 35M shoppers ahead of the holidays: Are you one of them?
- Amazon Prime shoppers involved in a $2.5 billion settlement over deceptive business practices are receiving refunds of up to $51 before Dec. 24.
Millions of Amazon Prime shoppers involved in a historic $2.5 billion deceptive business practice settlement will soon receive payment ahead of the holidays.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, many shoppers have already begun receiving payments , and for those who have not, payments will continue being dispersed from now through Dec. 24.
The refunds stem from a landmark lawsuit filed by the FTC charging that Amazon made it overly difficult for customers to unsubscribe from its Prime services.
Under the settlement, eligible Amazon Prime members will receive a refund of their subscription fees up to a maximum of $51.
The FTC urges customers to accept the funds within 15 days of receiving the email.
"Amazon tricked and trapped people into recurring subscriptions without their consent, not only frustrating users but also costing them significant money," said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan.
"These manipulative tactics harm consumers and law-abiding businesses alike. The FTC will continue to vigorously protect Americans from 'dark patterns' and other unfair or deceptive practices in digital markets."
As a result, the online retail giant is required to pay a $1 billion civil penalty as well as $1.5 billion in refunds to customers who were "harmed by their deceptive Prime enrollment practices."
The FTC estimates nearly 35 million customers were impacted by unwanted Prime enrollment or deferred cancellation.
Who qualifies?
To qualify for part of the settlement, you must:
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Have signed up for a Prime membership in the U.S. between June 23, 2019, and June 25, 2025.
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Have tried to cancel your subscription within that same time frame but did not follow through.
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Be a Prime member in the U.S. as the settlement was done through the FTC.
To know when you signed up for Prime, go to "memberships and subscriptions" and click on "payment history."
How to get your funds, if eligible
Many will automatically get a $51 payment — including subscribers who signed up for Prime via the Prime decision page, the shipping option select page, single page checkout or Prime Video enrollment flow.
Customers may also qualify for automatic payment if they haven't used more than three Prime benefits in one fiscal year.
Amazon will email eligible users a link to accept their refunds via PayPal or Venmo or mail a physical check to you if you do not accept the electronic refund.
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