Complain about a product or service

Florida Homeowners Warned of Wildfire Price-Gouging

Unscrupulous businesses may take advantage of widespread damage

May 14, 2008

Natural Disasters • Storm Season is Time to Review Insurance Policies • Scammers Exploit Iowa's Flooding • Post-Storm Survival Tips • Midwest Storm Victims May be Victimized Again • Fireman's Fund Offers 'Green' Policy • California Gears Up For Fire Scammers • California Wildfires Aftermath Requires Vigilance • Insurers Dumping Customers Along East Coast • Homeowners Insurance Rates Unfair, Massachusetts Charges • Researchers: La Nina Won't Affect 2006 Atlantic Hurricanes • 2006 Hurricane Forecast: More and Bigger • Few Americans Prepared For Disaster • Illinois Earthquake Rattles Insurers • Consumers Pay the Price for Disasters: Tips on Minimizing Your Losses • Congress Considers Taxpayer-Funded Catastrophe Insurance • Researchers Study East Coast Tsunami Danger • Is the Earth Getting Riskier? Expert Says No • One-Third of U.S. Population Lives in Hazard-Prone Areas • FEMA Tightens Flood Insurance Standards • Preparing Your Home for a Storm • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency • Hurricane Season Is Time to Review Insurance Coverage • Tremors Rattle Californians

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today warned consumers to beware of unscrupulous businesses that may try to gouge consumers in the wake of that state's recent wildfires.

Those devastating fires -- and the widespread damage they have left in their path -- are threatening 14 counties in Florida, McCollum's office said.

"As difficult as it is to be forced from your home, or worse, lose your home altogether, our citizens should not have to deal with being doubly victimized by price-gougers," McCollum said in a written statement. "We will do whatever is necessary to help protect Floridians from those who might try to take advantage of them in the wake of these devastating fires."

McCollum encouraged residents who suspect price gouging to call his office's Price Gouging Hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226). Investigators, he said, will research those complaints.

Florida law prohibits excessive price increases of such commodities as food, water, hotels, ice, gasoline, lumber and equipment in the wake of an officially declared emergency.

Governor Charlie Crist has issued a declaration of emergency in response to the widespread damage and ongoing threat caused by the wildfires in that state.

Under Florida law, the price of goods or services are considered exorbitant if the increase represents a "gross disparity" from the average price of that commodity during the 30 days prior to the declared emergency.

Violators of the price gouging statute face civil penalties of $1,000 per violation -- up to a total of $25,000 -- for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.