Amazon Sends Surprise $51 Checks to Australian Customers

Laura Wells thought the official check from Amazon in her Wollongong mailbox was a scam. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise worth $51.

The Wollongong resident was one of millions of customers worldwide who received refunds from a massive $3.8 billion settlement with Amazon. The tech giant agreed to reimburse Prime subscribers after US regulators found the company deceived customers into signing up for subscriptions they didn't want.

The issue started when shoppers visited Amazon's US site to buy items and were offered two days of free shipping. By clicking that button, they unknowingly signed up for Amazon Prime, which costs about $14 per month. Many customers didn't realize they'd been enrolled until charges appeared on their accounts.

Making matters worse, the Federal Trade Commission found that Amazon made it difficult for people to cancel their unwanted subscriptions. Consumer protection expert Jeanie Patterson from Melbourne Law School said the company used "confusing interfaces" that trapped customers into paying for a service they never intended to purchase.

The Bright Side

The historic settlement means real money is flowing back to affected customers. The Federal Trade Commission began sending claim notices to eligible Prime members in January 2026, and checks are now arriving in mailboxes around the world.

Australian customers who previously signed up through Amazon.com (not Amazon.com.au) may be eligible for refunds. Wells hopes her full amount makes it through after banks take their conversion fees, but she's grateful either way.

Amazon released a statement saying the company has always followed the law and has since made it clearer and simpler for customers to both sign up and cancel memberships. The company didn't admit wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to move forward.

For anyone who finds a similar check in their mailbox, it's worth a trip to the bank.