FORT MYERS, Fla. — As we prepare for Hurricane Ian, you’ll want to watch for unreasonably high price tags and potential price gouging.
Right now, the Florida Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is investigating more than 500 claims of potential price gouging. Many of the calls came from the Tampa area, and most are related to water and fuel prices.
“Our consumer protection investigators are reviewing all contacts on an individual basis,” a spokesperson for the office said. “and credible allegations are being handled immediately by our Rapid Response Team by contacting businesses.”
There’s no set dollar amount that counts as price gouging. It’s calculated based on the average price of the product, good, or service over the last 30 days before a state of emergency was issued.
If you’re seeing a product double or triple in price, you should report it by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM, filing online at MyFloridaLegal.com, or using our free No Scam reporting app.
You should also be watching for those price hikes after the storm moves through Southwest Florida.
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