TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is activating Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline following a state of emergency declaration for the North Florida tornadoes. The order follows Governor Ron DeSantis’s state of emergency declaration covering Baker, Columbia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
The Price Gouging Hotline is now available to receive reports of extreme price increases on essential commodities. Florida’s price gouging law only applies to items and services essential to getting ready for, or recovering from, a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Early morning tornadoes and severe weather ripped through North Florida—causing major damage and widespread power outages. As emergency crews remove road debris and rush to restore power, it is vital that Floridians in hard hit areas heed the advice of local officials. Those consumers who are purchasing emergency supplies should report any incidences of suspected price gouging by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com to file a complaint.”
During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities, such as equipment, food, gasoline, hotel rooms, ice, lumber and water needed as a direct result of the event.
Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. For more information on price gouging, access Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging resource by clicking here.
After a storm strikes, recovery can be a grueling process that scammers may attempt to exploit. To avoid falling victim to scams that may occur in the aftermath of a storm, view Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: After the Storm. To download the resource in English, click here. To download the Spanish version, click here.
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.
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UPDATE 5/13: Governor DeSantis has now extended the state of emergency for three additional counties. The state of emergency now covers the following counties: Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla.
The Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline is now active for these specific counties. Florida’s price gouging laws for this event apply only within the areas of the declared state of emergency and only for commodities and services essential to preparing for or recovering from the storm event.
