In response to the recent tornadoes in North Florida, Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline. This move follows Governor Ron DeSantis's declaration of a state of emergency covering several counties including Baker, Columbia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla.
The hotline is now open to receive reports of significant price increases on essential commodities. According to Florida law, price gouging only applies to items and services crucial for preparing or recovering from a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.
“Early morning tornadoes and severe weather ripped through North Florida—causing major damage and widespread power outages," said Attorney General Ashley Moody. "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 state of emergency declaration, 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.
Any suspicions of price gouging can be reported 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.
After a storm strikes, recovery can be an arduous 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 resource.
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.