Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated the state’s Price Gouging Hotline following a state of emergency declaration for areas of the state preparing for a potential hurricane developing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Helene currently is gaining strength and is expected to become a major hurricane. It is projected to make landfall September 26 on the Gulf Coast of Florida with winds potentially hitting 115 mph. Hurricane watches already have been issued warning of significant impacts including heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
“Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is expected to strengthen as it works its way through the Gulf of Mexico and could impact large parts of Florida near the end of this week,” Moody said in a September 23 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 prep, monitor weather reports and follow the guidance of local authorities. Stay Safe, Florida.”
The state price gouging laws first were put into effect September 23 for several counties covered by the state of emergency.
On September 24, Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the state of emergency to include the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
The Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline is 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.
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.
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 Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging resource by clicking here.
The AGs office also offers other help for those affected by the storm:
X 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, view Scams at a Glance: After the Storm. To download the resource, click here.
X 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.
X Moody 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. To download the 2024 guide, click here.