Amazon's Prime sign-up ease cost it $2.5B

Business Sep 26, 2025

Amazon just agreed to pay $2.5 billion after the FTC said it made Prime sign-ups too easy—and canceling way too hard.
The settlement covers claims that users were enrolled without clear consent, and now Amazon faces a $1 billion penalty plus $1.5 billion set aside for refunds.

How to claim your refund

If you signed up for Prime in the US through "Single Page Checkout" between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025, you could get an automatic refund—averaging about $51—within 90 days of court approval.
Over 30 million people are expected to benefit.
Going forward, Amazon has to make sign-ups clearer and cancelations simpler, showing regulators are serious about protecting your online choices.