Were you just scammed in the coronavirus crisis? Report price-gouging on this new hotline
Disasters and emergencies are a breeding ground for scammers trying to make a quick buck. Following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declaration of a state of emergency, the state’s attorney general has activated a state Price Gouging Hotline.
The hotline, which can be reached at 866-966-7226, was activated Tuesday and makes it easier for Florida consumers to report price-gouging throughout the state, Attorney General Ashley Moody said.
“I have a rapid response team ready to immediately respond to allegations of price gouging and our Consumer Protection Division continues to look for scams by fraudsters who would use this situation to rip-off Floridians,” Moody said.
As of Tuesday, there were 20 positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida, four of which were found in Broward, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The hotline can only be activated following a state of emergency declaration and only covers certain commodities under Florida law. The items covered under the price-gouging law during the COVID-19 state emergency are:
▪ Protective masks used to protect you from others if you are sick
▪ Sanitizing and disinfecting supplies, like hand sanitizer, gel, wipes, surface cleaning supplies and all commercial cleaning supplies
▪ All personal protective equipment, including gowns, booties, gloves and other protective gear.
“Be on the lookout for scams and guard against gouging, but remember, the best thing you can do right now is heed the advice of health experts — wash hands regularly and stay home if you are ill,” Moody said.
Those found price gouging can face civil penalties of $1,000 per violation, up to $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period.
As of Monday, 325 complaints of coronavirus-related scams had been made to the Federal Trade Commission through Consumer Sentinel Network, a database available only to law enforcement. Of those, 26 were from Florida consumers.
The complaints mainly involved travel and vacation medical supplies. There are a few complaints about buimg items from China and having a hard time getting the shipment.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 3:12 PM.
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