Amazon Prime Refunds: Illinois Members Could Get Up To $200

There are three types of money. You've got old money, new money, and...found money. This piece is all about potentially found money, and how you may be eligible to get some.

If you're an Illinois Amazon Prime member, there may be some cash coming your way, but you'll have to check the right boxes.

Millions of Amazon Prime customers across the country are now eligible for automatic refunds of up to $200 as part of an expanded settlement between Amazon and the Federal Trade Commission. And the first of those newly expanded payments are scheduled to begin October 1st.

a dollar bill sticking out of a pocket

Here's How To Tell If You Qualify For A Payout

First, you have to be a U.S. Amazon Prime customer. You also have to have signed up for Prime through one of the enrollment processes challenged by the FTC, or tried to cancel your membership through Amazon's online cancellation process (but couldn't), between June 23rd, 2019 and June 23rd, 2025.

Here's where things get interesting. You also have to have used no more than 20 Prime benefits during any 12-month period after enrolling. That can include things like Prime Video or Prime Music. The expanded settlement now includes people who used between 11 and 20 Prime benefits, which is a group that wasn't included in the earlier round of payments.

And you don't have to fill out a form to get this money.

If Amazon's records show that you're eligible, the payment will be sent automatically by PayPal, Venmo or a mailed check. You don't have to file a new claim or contact Amazon to request it. Payments can be as much as $200 in total, although that doesn't mean everybody who qualifies will receive the full $200.

a phone with the amazon prime logo on it

This Could End Up Being A Double Payout For Some

Some Prime members who already received a settlement payment could receive additional money, potentially bringing their total payment up to $200.

The whole thing stems from a $2.5 billion settlement announced in 2025 after the FTC accused Amazon of enrolling customers in Prime without adequate consent and making the cancellation process unnecessarily difficult. Amazon agreed to the settlement without admitting the allegations (isn't that how this always works?).

Make sure you watch out for scams. The FTC says it will not call you demanding money or personal information to get your refund. Nobody needs to be paid to "unlock" your Amazon settlement money.

So if you've been an Amazon Prime member in Illinois for a while, it might be worth keeping an eye on your PayPal account, Venmo or mailbox. That little Amazon box might not be the only thing showing up at your house.