Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

Amazon customers can now file a claim under its $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which resolved allegations of deceptive enrollment practices in the retailer's Prime shopping service.

As part of the September 2025 settlement, Amazon is offering $1.5 billion in refunds to eligible customers, as well as paying a $1 billion civil penalty. The FTC had alleged that Amazon duped customers into signing up for Prime and made it hard for customers to cancel their membership.

Amazon neither admitted nor denied the allegations as part of the settlement. Here's what to know.

Amazon customers should go to the settlement website to file their claim. Although millions of eligible customers will receive automatic payments through the settlement without filing a claim, some will need to submit one, the site notes.

Customers eligible for automatic payments are those who signed up for Prime through what the FTC calls a "challenged enrollment flow," including pages such as Amazon's shipping selection page and its single-page checkout. Consumers who used three or fewer Prime benefits within a 12-month period are also due for refunds without submitting a claim.

Prime benefits include services such as free two-day shipping, Prime Video streaming and Amazon Music.

If you signed up for Prime through a "challenged enrollment flow" between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, and you used Prime benefits between three and 10 times in a 12-month period, you may need to file a claim to get money under the settlement.

Eligible customers who need to file a claim will receive an email or a mailed notice, according to the settlement website.

People who qualify can receive a refund of their Amazon Prime membership fees, up to $51, according to the settlement site.

However, some customers may see smaller amounts if, for instance, they signed up for a trial membership that charged less than the regular Prime fee, the site notes.

Customers will be contacted by email or mail (postmarked by January 23) to inform them if they are eligible, according to the settlement site.

Consumers will then have 180 days to submit a claim, and Amazon will review each claim within 30 days of receiving it. Payments should "follow shortly after approval of your claims form," the site adds.

The refunds will be sent through PayPal, Venmo or mailed checks, according to the settlement site. People who file claims can specify their preferred payment method.

Amazon customers can now file a refund claim under $2.5 billion FTC settlement. Here's how.