Attorney General Ashley Moody today issued an update on efforts to prevent price gouging during Hurricane Dorian. Following the activation of the Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline on Aug. 28, consumers submitted more than 2,900 reports of alleged price gouging—more than 700 of these submitted via the new reporting app NO SCAM. Attorney General Moody quickly dispatched a Rapid Response Team of investigators and attorneys to respond to allegations in real-time.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “I want to thank Floridians for taking the time to alert us to possible price gouging situations. Because of the information they provided, our Rapid Response Team was able to quickly resolve many pricing issues as they arose, and in many cases, secure refunds for consumers on the spot. The NO SCAM app also proved to be an extremely useful tool as we tried to prevent price gouging.
“However, our work is not over. Our job before and during the storm was to prevent price gouging so Floridians could afford the essential commodities they needed. My Consumer Protection Division will continue to review complaints and take appropriate action to ensure anyone taking advantage of Floridians is held responsible.”
Below is a breakdown of reports received from consumers following the State of Emergency Declaration:
- 2,994 reports regarding alleged price gouging received by Consumer Protection investigators;
- Hundreds of reports remain under review and multiple complaints are being investigated;
- More than 180 store visits by the Attorney General’s Rapid Response Team;
- 705 reports through the app NO SCAM;
- Approximately $1,200 in refunds, credits or adjustments obtained so far and more recoveries expected as investigative efforts continue; and
- More than 80 percent of reports concern fuel or water.
In addition, as the storm approached, Attorney General Moody and Consumer Protection attorneys also contacted representatives of major airlines, gas stations, retailers, online booking sites and hotels. Through these efforts, major national corporations agreed to cap prices, eliminate fees, correct pricing issues or, in some cases, lower prices and make refunds.
Florida remains under a state of emergency and Attorney General Moody’s Price Gouging Hotline remains active. Report price gouging by calling (866) 9NO-SCAM or by downloading the NO SCAM app.
These numbers will continue to change as the declared state of emergency remains in effect for Hurricane Dorian. Please note, numbers only reflect information gathered up until the time of the release and do not represent an inclusive report of anti-price gouging efforts by the Florida Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division for Hurricane Dorian.
