Millions of Amazon Prime members could get up to $200 in automatic refunds starting Oct 1 — are you eligible?

If you were charged for an Amazon Prime subscription between 2019 and 2025 without clear consent, or struggled to cancel your account, you could be due a direct payout of up to $200.Starting October 1, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching an expanded distribution phase of its landmark $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon. The updated terms open up eligibility to millions of additional consumers and increase the maximum payout cap per customer.Best of all, eligible subscribers do not need to fill out a claim form or jump through administrative hoops to get their money.Why Amazon is paying out $2.5 billion?The payments stem from federal regulatory actions alleging that Amazon used deceptive online checkout screens to enroll consumers into paid Prime memberships without explicit authorization. The FTC also alleged that the retailer made cancelling subscriptions unnecessarily complex.Under the $2.5 billion agreement, Amazon agreed to pay a $1 billion civil fine alongside $1.5 billion earmarked directly for consumer restitution. As of September, federal regulators report that over $845 million has already been distributed to affected subscribers. Who qualifies for the October 1 payout? To qualify for a refund under the newly expanded guidelines, you must meet the following criteria:You were a U.S.-based subscriber who was either enrolled via disputed checkout screens or attempted unsuccessfully to cancel a Prime membership between June 23 2019, and June 23 2025.Under the previous terms, only members who used very few Prime perks qualified. The new October 1 expansion includes consumers who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits (such as Prime Video streams or Prime Music) during any 12-month period following enrollment. How much money will you getA recent federal court order raised the maximum individual payout cap from $51 to $200.If you were part of the initial wave of refunds and only received the original $51 cap, you do not need to take any action.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.The FTC confirmed that supplemental payments of up to $149 will automatically be sent to bring qualifying recipients up to the new $200 maximum.How you will receive your payoutThere are no claim forms, verification portals, or applications required. Amazon will issue funds directly through:PayPal or Venmo: Direct transfers to the primary digital wallet linked to your account.Mailed Paper Checks: Sent to the physical address associated with your Amazon account.Electronic transfers and paper checks must be redeemed or cashed within 60 days of issuance. Unclaimed funds will be returned to the settlement pool. Watch out for settlement scams Neither Amazon, the FTC, nor the settlement administrator will ever contact you via text, email, or phone demanding payment, personal banking credentials, or processing fees to release your refund. Are you expecting a check? Let us know in the comments! Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!More from Tom's Guide Amazon settles with FTC, needs to pay Prime members $1.5 billion — here's how to claim your shareAmazon's $1.5 billion Prime settlement explained — your most common questions answeredAmazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it