Amazon has agreed to pay $2.5bn (£1.9bn) to resolve claims brought by the US government that it tricked millions of people into enrolling as Prime members and made it difficult to cancel. A total of $1.5bn will go to refunds for customers who were duped into signing up for the service, according to the proposed settlement announced by Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The deal came just a few days after trial began before a jury in Seattle. It marks a major victory for the FTC, yielding the largest ever civil penalty secured by the agency. Amazon, which did not admit or deny the allegations, said it had "always followed the law" and the settlement would allow the firm to "move forward". The FTC had targeted Amazon practices, such as pop-ups during checkout that repeatedly suggested customers sign-up for Prime, collecting billing information without fully disclosing terms or making it clear how to decline the service.
Published: September 25, 2025 5:18 pm
Source: BBC — Read original