As South Florida residents are preparing for heavy rainfall from Hurricane Milton, officials are reminding the public that price gouging is illegal and can be easily reported to the proper authorities.
āIt is against the law to take advantage of others by raising prices on essential goods and services during emergencies,ā Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor said in a news release issued Tuesday.
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To report any suspicion of price gouging on items such as gas, water, food, hotel stays and generators, South Florida residents may call the Florida Attorney Generalās Price Gouging Hotline at 1-866-966-7226, or submit a complaint online by clicking here.
The Miami-Dade State Attorneyās Office also has its own hotline for price gouging complaints: 305-547-3300.
Those who file a complaint are asked to include the business name, physical address, items believed to price-gouged and a photo of the receipt.
āCharging āunconscionable pricesā for essential items in short supply prior to a disaster and during the early recovery period is illegal,ā the Miami-Dade County website states. āAn āunconscionable priceā is determined by comparing the price asked during an emergency with the price charged for the same commodity during the preceding 30-day period.ā
Read the story in Spanish by clicking here.
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