Amazon Prime Free Trial Settlement: Are You Due a Payout?

Good news for former Amazon Prime members! If you were a subscriber between 2018 and 2020 and canceled your free trial without continuing your membership, you might be eligible for a piece of a class-action settlement. Amazon has agreed to pay out $25 million to resolve claims that it intentionally made it difficult for users to cancel their free Prime trials, leading to unwanted charges.

This settlement, approved by a federal judge, targets a period when Amazon allegedly employed 'dark patterns'—deceptive user interface designs—to hinder cancellations.

The plaintiffs argued that Amazon's cancellation process for Prime free trials was deliberately confusing, causing many users to be automatically enrolled into paid memberships they didn't want or realize they had.

So, who qualifies for a payout? You are likely eligible if you:

• Were an Amazon Prime member with a free trial between 2018 and 2020.
• Canceled your free trial during this period.
• Did not continue into a paid Amazon Prime membership.
• Were not refunded for any charges incurred after your intended cancellation.

The payouts are expected to be relatively modest, with most eligible individuals receiving between $2 to $10.

While this might not sound like a life-changing sum, it's a significant win for consumer advocacy, holding large corporations accountable for potentially misleading practices. The settlement aims to compensate those who were unjustly charged or faced undue difficulty in managing their subscriptions.

If you believe you are eligible, there's no need to take immediate action.

The settlement administrator is tasked with identifying eligible individuals and distributing payments directly. Notifications, likely via email, will be sent to those confirmed to be part of the affected group, detailing how they will receive their portion of the settlement. Keep an eye on your inbox, especially any folders that might catch spam, for official communications regarding this payout.

This case serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight against 'dark patterns' in digital services and reinforces the importance of clear, transparent subscription management.

It's a victory for consumers, ensuring that companies cannot deliberately complicate cancellation processes to profit from unwitting subscribers.