Your Amazon Payments Account

Due to the restrictions Amazon has placed on new Amazon Mechanical Turk accounts in 2012, the following discussion is intended only for United States citizens.

Overview
Ever make a purchase from Amazon.com? Or notice the Amazon icon while using the "checkout" at your favorite online retailer. If the answer is yes, then you already have some exposure to Amazon Payments, or Payments for short. Comparable to PayPal, Payments acts as an internet middleman between parties exchanging money. With regards to mTurk, Payments allows for money to seamlessly transfer from the Requester to the Worker once a HIT has been approved.

Account Creation
If you do not already have an Amazon.com account, then sign up for one HERE. You need one to request/perform work on Mechanical Turk and to send/receive money via Amazon Payments once that work has been posted/approved.

Personal
If you've created an account with Amazon and made a purchase in the past, then you already have a Payments account. You'll just need to do a few things to start accepting payments.

The following steps are dependent on how much personal information you've given to Amazon in the past:

Verify Your Account
After you register with Amazon Payments, we'll send you an e-mail message with a unique URL. When you click that URL, you will go to the Amazon Payments website to complete the verification process by entering your password. If you are unable to click the link in the verification e-mail message, you can follow these steps to enter the verification code that is provided in the e-mail:
 * 1) Log in to your Amazon Payments account at https://payments.amazon.com/.
 * 2) Click Edit My Account Settings.
 * 3) Click Verify my e-mail address.
 * 4) Click entering the 6 digit code.
 * 5) Enter the 6 digit code.
 * 6) Click Continue.

Once you verify your e-mail address, you will be able to send and receive payments.


 * Payments1.jpg

Verify Contact & Social Security Information
Note : To avoid complications, be sure the information you supply Amazon Payments, is the same information you supply Amazon Mechanical Turk. Payments and mTurk are separate entities under the Amazon umbrella and the information needs to be consistent once they start talking to each other.
 * Payments2.jpg

Banking Information
(This section needs updating)

You can add a bank account to your Amazon Payments account using one of the following methods:
 * Instant Account Verification
 * Random Deposits

Instant Account Verification
Using this method allows you instant access to your mTurk funds.

With the instant account verification method, you provide your bank account login credentials through Amazon's secure web site, which Amazon Payments uses to verify your ownership of the bank account.

To add and verify a new U.S. bank account using Instant Account Verification, follow these steps:
 * 1) Log in to your Amazon Payments account.
 * 2) Click the Edit My Account Settings link.
 * 3) In the Payment Settings section, click the Add bank account link.
 * 4) In the Bank Account Holder Name text box, type the name of the account owner as registered with the bank.
 * 5) In the Routing Number text box, type the bank's routing number (from the lower-left portion of a check). Amazon Payments will attempt to match the number to known banks. If the number does not match any known banks, a message will appear requesting you re-enter the number or try a different bank routing number.
 * 6) In the Account Number text box, type the bank account number (from the lower-left portion of a check).
 * 7) Choose either the Personal Checking Account or Corporate Checking Account radio button. If you choose Personal Checking Account, you must also provide a valid driver's license or state-issued identification number and select the issuing state. If you choose Corporate Checking Account, you must fax a current bank statement for manual verification. For more information, see Adding a Corporate Bank Account to Your Account.
 * 8) Click Continue.
 * 9) If your bank is enabled to support Instant Account Verification, you will see two options: Instant Verification and Verify with Bank Deposits. Click the Instant Verification radio button. The fields in this form vary according to the security methods enabled by your bank. Optional fields requested by your bank may be included.
 * 10) Enter the information for your bank account in the spaces provided. Only provide values for the optional fields that you have already provided to the bank.
 * 11) *Note: Amazon does not save your sign-in information, but only uses it to verify your ownership of the bank account.
 * 12) Click the Verify Instantly button. Amazon Payments attempts to verify the account using the credentials you provided. Depending on the security options you have set with your bank, you might be prompted for additional security questions. This can take a couple minutes, so please wait for the verification to complete.
 * 13) *Note: Do not close the page while the credentials are being verified. If you close the page, you will have to start the verification over.

Note: Your Amazon Payments account has a lifetime limit of 10 bank account payment methods (there is no such limit on the number of credit cards associated with your account). If you have had 10 bank accounts with Amazon Payments already on the same account, you cannot add any more, even if one or more of the 10 is no longer active.


 * Payments3.jpg

Bank Deposit Verification
Using this method will restrict access to your funds for a few days.

With the random deposits method of account verification, Amazon Payments will make two small test deposits of less than $1.00 into the bank account you provide. When the deposits appear in your bank account (generally within 5-7 business days, not including weekends or holidays), you must return to your Amazon Payments account to verify the deposit amounts.

To add a new U.S. bank account, and verify it using random deposits, follow these steps:
 * 1) Log in to your Amazon Payments account.
 * 2) Click the Edit My Account Settings link.
 * 3) In the Payment Settings section, click the Add bank account link.
 * 4) In the Bank Account Holder Name text box, type the name of the account owner as registered with the bank.
 * 5) In the Routing Number text box, type the bank's routing number (from the lower-left portion of a check). Amazon Payments will attempt to match the number to known banks. If the number does not match any known banks, a message will appear requesting you re-enter the number or try a different bank routing number.
 * 6) In the Account Number text box, type the bank account number (from the lower-left portion of a check).
 * 7) Choose either the Personal Checking Account or Corporate Checking Account radio button. If you choose Personal Checking Account, you must also provide a valid driver's license or state-issued identification number and select the issuing state. If you choose Corporate Checking Account, you must fax a current bank statement for manual verification. For more information, see Adding a Corporate Bank Account to Your Account.
 * 8) Click Continue.
 * 9) Click the Verify with Bank Deposits radio button, and then click the Verify with Bank Deposits button.


 * Payments3.jpg

Business
(This section needs updating)