Watch out! Don’t get scammed about Amazon Prime refunds

Earlier this year, the United States Federal Trade Commission ruled that Amazon had engaged in deceptive practices concerning its Amazon Prime subscriptions—people were enrolled unintentionally, and they also couldn’t easily unsubscribe. As part of the settlement, Amazon agreed to issue refunds to United States Amazon Prime members who meet certain criteria.

That part is good news for consumers. Less great are the scammers that will use this opportunity to steal money from you.

Forewarned is forearmed, so here’s what you need to know about the settlement—who qualifies, how much to expect, how it’ll be disbursed, important dates, possible scam tricks, and more.

Who qualifies for the Amazon Prime settlement refund

Customers who qualify fall into two different camps: Those who will automatically receive a refund, and those who qualify for a refund after filing a claim.

Notification of automatic refunds began on November 12, 2025 and will continue through December 24, 2025.

Claims can be filed beginning December 24, 2025 via the Amazon Prime settlement website. Those eligible for a refund based on the claims criteria will receive notification of their status by January 23, 2026.

You will receive an automatic refund if you meet all of the following criteria:

• You signed up for Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025
• You signed up for Amazon Prime through a “challenged enrollment flow” (defined as “the universal Prime decision page, shipping selection page, single page checkout, or the Prime Video enrollment flow”)
• You used no more than three Amazon Prime benefits in a 12-month period (EX: Prime Video, Prime Music, etc)

You are eligible to file a claim for a refund if you meet all of the following criteria:

• You signed up for Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025
• You accidentally enrolled through a “challenged enrollment flow” or tried to cancel through the online cancellation flow, but could not do so
• You used more than three, but less than 10 Amazon Prime benefits in a 12-month period between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025 (EX: Prime Video, Prime Music, etc)

For full details on the settlement and its terms, head to the official settlement website.

What if I’m not sure I qualify for a refund?

The official settlement website’s Frequently Asked Questions explains challenge enrollment flows in slightly more detail, but more importantly, it also confirms that you don’t have to figure out for yourself if you used a challenge enrollment flow or not.

So, if you know you fall within the required dates but aren’t sure if you qualify to file a claim, file one anyway. The worst that will happen is you’ll be denied eligibility.

Who will contact you about a refund

While the FTC has published information about the refund, the settlement distribution is being handled by Amazon.

A company required to pay a settlement will typically contract an administrator to handle the claims and disbursement. Accordingly, communication should come from the official settlement website or Amazon directly.

To avoid scammers, double-check any communication regarding the refund—with AI tools, it’s much easier now for fraudsters to create polished, clean messages that sound official. Closely examine website addresses (URLs) before clicking on links.

How refunds will be paid to eligible U.S. consumers

Those who qualify for an automatic refund will receive an email from Amazon between November 12, 2025 and December 24, 2025. This email will ask you to provide your PayPal or Venmo information for receiving the refund.

Before clicking any links, verify the email came from Amazon or the official settlement website directly. 

You have 15 days to accept this digital payment. If you miss this window, it will be canceled and a check will automatically be sent to the address on file for your Amazon Prime account.

The FTC recommends cashing refund checks within 60 days of receipt.

How big is the Amazon Prime settlement refund?

Qualifying Amazon Prime subscribers are eligible to receive up to $51. The exact amount varies based on your situation.

For example, if you received any previous refunds or credits (or performed a chargeback through your credit card company), that will be deducted from your eligible amount. 

The total amount paid may have been lower than $51 as well, like if you only paid a small (or even nominal) amount for an Amazon Prime trial.

What are the signs of an Amazon Prime refund scam?

Scams have gotten more sophisticated over the past year, which makes spotting them harder. But armed with all the information above, you can still look for clues that will give them away.

• The message does not come through email.
• The sender of the email is not Amazon or the official settlement website. (Check the email address’s domain and compared against the official URLs.)
• The link in the email does not direct you to a page on Amazon or the official settlement website.
• The message asks you for money. (For example, you must first pay off an overdue balance for your Amazon Prime subscription, or you have to first renew in advance for the coming year, etc.) You’re getting a refund—you shouldn’t have to pay anything!
• The sender of the message claims to be from the FTC or another U.S. government agency.
• The message asks you for personal details (name, address, phone number, payment info, etc) not necessary to send a PayPal or Venmo payment.
• You visit a web page to fill out a claim, but the URL does not match the one for the official settlement site.
• Someone contacts you claiming they can help you receive a bigger refund.

This list doesn’t cover every scenario, just the most likely ones. Basically, if the info you receive or the request you get sounds a little off—or on the flip side, too good to be true—proceed with caution.