Kevin David Review (2026): What the FTC Settlement Means for His Amazon Courses
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On This Page
- The Key Facts First
- Who Is Kevin David?
- The FTC Case Against DK Automation
- Kevin David's Amazon FBA Course
- How Much Did It Cost?
- Refund Policy
- If You Bought a Done-for-You Program
- What Amazon FBA Takes in 2026
- What Reviewers Say
- Is Kevin David a Scam?
- Pros and Cons
- Lessons From the Kevin David Case
- A Lower-Risk Way to Learn Online Business
- Other Amazon Course Reviews
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Our Verdict on Kevin David
The Key Facts First
Kevin David, whose full name is Kevin David Hulse, became one of the best-known YouTube teachers of Amazon FBA through his "Amazon FBA Ninja" or "Zon Ninja Masterclass" course, which typically sold for about $1,997. He also ran done-for-you Amazon business programs. In November 2022, the Federal Trade Commission settled a case against him, his business partner and their company, DK Automation, over those done-for-you programs.
That settlement is the single most important fact for anyone researching Kevin David today. It involved a judgment of nearly $53 million, mostly suspended, and $2.6 million in refunds to customers. Below, we cover what the FTC alleged, what his courses included, what they cost, and a lower-risk way to start an online business.
| Full name | Kevin David Hulse |
|---|---|
| Known for | Amazon FBA courses (Amazon FBA Ninja / Zon Ninja Masterclass) and YouTube |
| Course price | About $1,997, or 5 payments of $599 (per The Selling Guys) |
| FTC case | Settled November 2022 with Hulse, David Shawn Arnett and DK Automation |
| Settlement | About $53 million judgment (mostly suspended), $2.6 million returned to customers |
| Programs named in the case | AMZDFY / Amazon Done For You, priced up to $100,000 |
| Refund on courses | Listed as 14 days by The Selling Guys; described as difficult by ScamRisk |
Who Is Kevin David?
The Selling Guys describes Kevin David as an Oregon entrepreneur who worked in Google Ads, Facebook advertising and Amazon affiliate marketing before moving into Amazon FBA. He ran a brand called THATLifestyleNinja, which sold online business courses, and built a large YouTube audience teaching Amazon selling. Claims of hundreds of thousands of students and multimillion-dollar net worth come from unsourced estimates.
The FTC Case Against DK Automation
According to Law Street Media's report of November 17, 2022, the FTC filed a complaint and a proposed settlement at the same time against DK Automation LLC and its Florida-based owners, Kevin David Hulse and David Shawn Arnett. The FTC alleged that:
- The defendants made unfounded claims to get customers to invest in Amazon business packages, business coaching and cryptocurrency schemes.
- Programs such as AMZDFY and "Amazon Done For You" were advertised as a "100% turnkey" business, at prices of up to $100,000.
- Customers were promised passive income with little effort, but few profited.
- Marketing used fake consumer reviews claiming huge profits, and the company suppressed negative reviews.
- The conduct continued despite FTC warnings about deceptive earnings claims. The defendants earned at least $52 million between 2017 and 2021.
The Settlement
- A total monetary judgment of nearly $53 million, most of it suspended because of inability to pay.
- $2.6 million to be returned to customers.
- The full judgment becomes due if the defendants are found to have misrepresented their finances.
- The defendants must stop making false claims and stop interfering with customer reviews and complaints.
A settlement resolves allegations without a trial. It is still a strong signal about how those programs were marketed.
Kevin David's Amazon FBA Course
Separate from the done-for-you programs, Kevin David sold a self-study Amazon FBA course. The Selling Guys describes six core modules with more than 100 videos and over 10 hours of content:
| Module | Videos |
|---|---|
| Product research | 23 |
| Suppliers and shipping | 7 |
| Listing optimization | 9 |
| Launch strategies | 9 |
| PPC, ClickFunnels and social traffic | 12 |
| Seller Central hacks | 6 |
Bonus modules covered international expansion, software hacks and Merch by Amazon, plus live Q&A replays and a private Facebook group. ScamRisk adds that the base program did not include guaranteed live calls, and that upsells such as coaching, mentorship and done-for-you services ranged from several thousand dollars to five figures.
How Much Did It Cost?
The Selling Guys lists the course at $1,997, or five payments of $599 ($2,995 in total). Like any Amazon FBA course, you would also need money for inventory, Amazon fees, tools and advertising. ScamRisk refers to the course's pricing in the past tense and does not confirm whether it is still sold.
Refund Policy
The Selling Guys lists a 14-day money-back guarantee, but counts a "poor refund policy" among the course's cons. ScamRisk says refund terms were not always clearly stated at purchase, that students reportedly needed proof of completed actions, and that refunds were difficult to obtain.
If You Bought a Done-for-You Program
If you paid for AMZDFY or another DK Automation package, the FTC's settlement included $2.6 million to be returned to customers, according to Law Street Media. The FTC publishes information about refund programs from its cases on the official refunds page at ftc.gov. A few practical points:
- The FTC does not charge fees to send refunds, and it will not ask for your bank password or payment to release money.
- Be wary of "recovery" firms that contact you offering to get your money back for a fee.
- Keep records of what you paid and when, in case a claims process asks for them.
What Amazon FBA Takes in 2026
Even with a good course, a new Amazon seller faces real costs and risks. You need money for samples, a first inventory order, shipping to Amazon warehouses, a professional seller account, research tools and advertising to launch the listing. Amazon charges referral and fulfillment fees on every sale, and competition in popular niches is intense. Students who do well usually start with a clear budget, pick a product carefully, and accept that their first product may not succeed.
Done-for-you packages promised to remove that work and risk. The FTC case shows why that promise deserves skepticism: someone else running your store does not change the economics of the store.
What Reviewers Say
- The Selling Guys: rates the course 2 out of 5 overall and calls it outdated, while noting a Trustpilot rating of 4.7 from over a thousand reviews (captured in 2024).
- ScamRisk: rates it 2 on its scale and criticizes the refund experience and upsells.
Given the FTC's allegation that the company used fake reviews and suppressed negative ones, high star ratings on review platforms should be treated with extra caution here.
Is Kevin David a Scam?
We do not make legal findings. The facts are that the FTC alleged deceptive earnings claims and fake reviews in connection with DK Automation's done-for-you Amazon programs, and that the case ended in a settlement with a nearly $53 million judgment and $2.6 million in refunds. The self-study course itself delivered real training, but reviewers describe it as outdated and hard to refund. We would not recommend his programs to beginners.
Pros and Cons
What Stands Out
- The self-study course covered the core FBA steps
- Over 100 videos plus bonus modules
- Large YouTube library of free content
What to Weigh Up
- FTC settlement over done-for-you programs (2022)
- Allegations of fake reviews and deceptive earnings claims
- Course about $1,997, with expensive upsells
- Reviewers describe the course as outdated
- Refunds described as difficult
- Amazon FBA needs inventory capital on top
Lessons From the Kevin David Case
The FTC's allegations describe patterns worth recognizing in any opportunity:
- "Turnkey" or "done-for-you" businesses promising passive income for a large upfront fee.
- Testimonials that show huge profits, with negative reviews hard to find.
- Prices that climb from a course to coaching to five- or six-figure packages.
- Earnings claims with no typical-results data behind them.
Our guide on how to spot make-money-online scams goes deeper on each of these.
A Lower-Risk Way to Learn Online Business
If you were drawn to Kevin David's content because you want to build an online income, start with something that has a small, clear price and teaches skills you control.
| Factor | Kevin David | Montoya's Challenge |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | About $1,997 course | A few dollars |
| Inventory | Required for FBA | None |
| Regulatory history | FTC settlement (DK Automation, 2022) | No FTC action found in our research |
| What you build | An Amazon product business | A lead funnel and email list |
We point beginners to Jonathan Montoya's low-cost challenge, which teaches offers, a funnel, email follow-up and free traffic. Read our 3 Day Business Breakthrough Challenge review for the details and fine print.
Other Amazon Course Reviews
- Proven Amazon Course review: a fairly priced Amazon selling library.
- Amazing Selling Machine review: a long-running private-label FBA course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the FTC Sue Kevin David?
Yes. In November 2022, the FTC filed a complaint and settlement against DK Automation and its owners, Kevin David Hulse and David Shawn Arnett, over deceptive claims tied to done-for-you Amazon business programs.
How Much Was the Kevin David FTC Settlement?
The judgment was nearly $53 million, mostly suspended due to inability to pay, with $2.6 million returned to customers, according to Law Street Media.
How Much Did Kevin David's Amazon Course Cost?
The Selling Guys lists the Zon Ninja Masterclass at $1,997, or five payments of $599. Upsells such as coaching and done-for-you services cost thousands more.
What Was AMZDFY?
AMZDFY, or "Amazon Done For You," was a done-for-you Amazon business program advertised as turnkey, priced at up to $100,000, and named in the FTC's case.
Is Kevin David's Course Still Worth It?
Reviewers describe it as outdated with a difficult refund process. Given the FTC case, most beginners are better off with a lower-cost, clearly priced alternative.
Our Verdict on Kevin David
Kevin David taught a lot of people about Amazon FBA, but his done-for-you business ended in an FTC settlement over deceptive claims and fake reviews, and his course is widely described as outdated. If you want to build an online income, choose a low-cost training with a transparent price and skills you can keep.
Looking for a Lower-Risk Alternative to Kevin David?
Looking for a safer alternative to Kevin David's courses?