Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated the state’s Price Gouging Hotline following the declaration of a state of emergency for areas of the state being affected by Debby after it hit the state’s Gulf Coast early Monday before being downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm.
Debby made landfall early on August 5 on Florida's Big Bend as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds, the National Hurricane Center said. It was downgraded at 11 a.m. to a tropical storm. At least four deaths have been confirmed as a result of Debby.
Forecasters have warned of life-threatening storm surges in Florida and major flooding across southeastern states. Downpours and flooding are hitting Florida's Gulf Coast hard, with more than 10 inches of rain in some areas and more than 300,000 energy customers without power.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties expected to be affected by the storm. In a statement, his office said that 3,000 National Guard members have been mobilized.
State price gouging laws now are in effect for the counties covered by the state of emergency: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.
Florida’s price gouging law applies to items and services essential to getting ready for, or recovering from, a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.
“(Debby) is expected to bring heavy rain and powerful winds to much of the state,” Moody said in a press release. “To help Floridians prepare for this event, we are activating the price gouging hotline to accept reports of extreme price increases on essential commodities.
“As the system approaches, I’m urging Floridians to finalize their storm preparations, monitor weather reports and follow the guidance of local authorities. Stay Safe, Florida.”
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 weather event.
Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. For more information on price gouging, access the Attorney General’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging resource by clicking here or, for Spanish, here.
Also, the AG’s office has resources for after the storm. It says recovery after a severe storm can be a strenuous process, and scammers may attempt to take advantage of victims. To avoid falling for scams that may occur in the aftermath of a storm, the AG’s Scams at a Glance: After the Storm resource is here or, for Spanish, 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.
Moody’s office also recently released the 2024 Hurricane Preparedness Guide. The guide contains information on tropical systems, preparedness checklists and tips for avoiding storm-related scams before, during and after a weather event.
Record-setting rain is forecast to cause flash flooding in coastal Georgia and South Carolina, and into North Carolina, with up to 30 inches of rain predicted for some areas, the National Hurricane Center said.