Price Gouging Hotline Activated; Attorney General Urges Vigilance

ACROSS FLORIDA — Whenever a storm arrives, opportunists intent on taking advantage of storm victims are sure to follow.

Attorney General Ashley Moody expanded Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline as Tropical Storm Elsa moves closer to Florida.

The activation follows Gov. Ron DeSantis’s state of emergency declaration covering Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lake, Lafayette, Madison, Marion, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla.

The Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline is now active for these specific counties.

The Price Gouging Hotline is now active to receive reports of extreme price increases on essential commodities needed to prepare for the storm. Florida’s price gouging law only applies to commodities and services essential to preparing for or recovering from a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on Tropical Storm Elsa. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading from iTunes, or by visiting the Google Play store.

"I have activated the Price Gouging Hotline to help Floridians purchasing essential commodities and ask that anyone who sees outrageous price increases on essential items please report it to our office immediately," Moody said.

During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities such as food, water, hotel rooms, ice, gasoline, lumber and equipment, needed as a direct result of the event.

Violators of the price gouging statute are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period.

In addition to the civil penalties for price gouging, state law criminalizes the sale of goods and services to the public without possession of a business tax receipt.

"Price gouging during a declared state of emergency can leave Floridians feeling defenseless and cause a sense of urgency for needed commodities. The stress caused by an approaching storm or other emergency and its disruptive, and sometimes devastating, aftermath should not be further intensified by price gouging," Moody said.

Tips For Avoiding Price Gouging And Gathering Gouging Evidence

The Florida Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division aggressively investigates allegations of price gouging and direct evidence of pricing information is a crucial
component of the investigative process. If the price of an essential commodity represents a gross disparity from the average price charged 30 days before the declared state of emergency, or grossly exceeds the average market price for the area, then the price may be unlawful.

• Before filing a price gouging complaint, try to gather as much information as safely possible.
• Below are some tips to help consumers know what evidence to capture and what to report:
• Take pictures of advertised prices, receipts, signs or price tags, and keep copies of any estimates, invoices, receipts or bills;
• If time and security permit, it may be helpful to identify the pricing of the same product sold by other sellers in the area;
• Compare products, noting similarities and differences, by recording the product name, brand, size/quantity, manufacturer, model number and price. Take pictures of the items if possible;
• Make a record of the name and address of the business or individual selling the more expensive commodity and of any others whose prices are being compared;
• Retain receipts of necessary items purchased from businesses you generally frequent, as these may provide better context when determining if the price of the item during a declared state of emergency represents a gross disparity from the average price charged 30 days before the declaration;
• When renting a room, keep copies and make note of advertised pricing, booking confirmations and the final bill. Also note the type of room and booking method;
• For lumber purchases, it is important to note the size, grade, thickness and quality.

Report price gouging information to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by downloading No Scam, a free app available for Android and Apple devices which enables the user to report suspected price gouging with photos, documents and screen shots from a mobile device.

"It is our hope that this app will assist us in raising awareness about price gouging laws and deter those who might otherwise consider violating the law, while at the same time help our consumer protection investigators get the reports and supporting information they need in real-time, so they can respond immediately to thwart any alleged illegal activity," Moody said.

Price gouging can also be reported online at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226).

See related stories:

• Generators Killed More Floridians In Last 4 Years Than Storms
• Florida Gas Prices Set A New High For 2021: AAA