Staff Reports
Attorney General Ashley Moody says her office has issued 65 subpoenas and secured nearly $160,000 in refunds relating to price gouging schemes amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Moody has been routinely updating the public on her office’s progress relating to those scams. An additional six subpoenas have been issued since Moody’s update last week.
The AG’s office has received an estimated 2,700 contacts about potential price gouging incidents. The office has also made “more than 3,800 referrals and contacts to merchants about allegations of price gouging, refunds and scams.”
More than 160 online posts offering inflated prices have been deactivated as well.
Tuesday, Moody released another video informing the public about the state’s efforts.
“For more than a month now, my investigators and attorneys have been working diligently to deter price gouging, secure refunds and hold bad actors accountable. These efforts are producing results, and a large part of that success is due to the great information we are receiving from Floridians who don’t want to see their neighbors taken advantage of during these challenging times,” Moody said.
“We are receiving hundreds of tips from consumers every week, and our investigators are following up on every one of these reports. I want to encourage Floridians to keep these reports coming and we will continue our efforts to deter price gouging and hold gougers accountable.”
As Floridians seek supplies such as hand sanitizer, face masks and other essential items, some sellers have resorted to jacking up prices to cash in on the surge in demand.
According to the AG’s office, those convicted of price gouging “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.”
Floridians can reach out to the Attorney General to report instances of price gouging in three ways.
First, they can use the price gouging hotline. Second, they can visit the AG’s website and click on the bright red link for “price gouging complaints.” Third, consumers can download an app that allows them to file those reports.
