Companies like Amazon Prime Student and Spotify are tightening their student discount eligibility checks
Student discounts, long a valuable resource for saving money on streaming services, gadgets, and more, are now facing increased scrutiny. This practice is ending as companies like Amazon Prime Student and Spotify, once lenient, tighten their eligibility checks.
Stricter verification measures
To tackle misuse, companies are deploying advanced verification systems. Amazon and streaming platforms now require proof of current student status through school emails, IDs and even facial recognition technology.
For example, companies like SheerID, which verifies student status, uses over 200,000 data sources and helps businesses prevent $2 billion in fraud annually. These systems ensure that discounts are used only by those who are genuinely enrolled in educational programs.
Impact on former students
As a result, many former students are finding their access to discounts cut off. While discounts like Apple’s $5.99-a-month student plan for Apple Music are still available, they are now restricted to those actively enrolled in school.
The crackdown reflects a broader trend towards maintaining the integrity of discount programs and ensuring they benefit their intended audience.