Just as I get Amazon Prime...they crack down on sharing...

Do you share your Amazon Prime account with several people? Get ready to choose a favorite, because the online retail giant is cracking down on Prime moochers.

Previously, Amazon allowed Prime members to share their accounts with up to four household members. The idea was to allow people living under the same roof to use one Prime account, but of course, people shared their accounts with friends and far-flung family members, too.

Going forward, you can only share your Amazon Prime account with one person rather than four, though you can add up to four children without Amazon accounts. If you link your account, you'll also have to share credit and debit card information, so make sure you really trust your new Prime buddy.

"Both adult account holders need to authorize each other to use credit and debit cards associated with their Amazon accounts for purchases on Amazon," the company said. "This will not affect either of their current payment settings, but each adult will be able to copy the credit and debit cards of the other account to his or her Amazon account and use them for purchases with Amazon."

Amazon Student Prime members and invited guests of other Prime members can't share their accounts, Amazon said. Amazon Mom members can share accounts as long as one of the adults is a Prime member.

Those who are eligible can share Prime shipping benefits, access to Prime Instant Video streaming, Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and Prime Early Access. With Prime video streaming, you can stream two videos at the same time using the same Amazon.com account, but only stream the same video to one device at a time.

Last month, Amazon held an Amazon Prime Day sale in celebration of its 20th anniversary. But it was largely an effort to get people to sign up for the $99 per year Prime, since only Prime members could take advantage of the discounts.