AMZN STAR* Charge (What It Is + Is It Legit?)

Amazon uses the shortened "AMZN*" descriptor on bank statements because payment networks like Visa and Mastercard traditionally limit merchant descriptors to around 22 characters, and Amazon's billing systems are designed to pack additional transaction details — such as the specific marketplace, subscription type, or order reference — into the remaining characters after the prefix. The asterisk following "AMZN" acts as a separator, allowing Amazon to append dynamic information like "AMZN*Prime" or "AMZN*Mktp US" to help identify the nature of the purchase. If you see "AMZN*" on your statement, it is almost certainly a legitimate Amazon charge, whether from a product order, a Prime membership renewal, or one of Amazon's many subscription services.

No, this is a legitimate charge from Amazon. However, if you did not authorize this charge or cancelled your subscription, you may be eligible for a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions