Ashley Moody looks to protect Floridians impacted by tornadoes with price gouging hotline

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Following severe weather in northern parts of Florida, Attorney General Ashley Moody activated the state’s price gouging hotline to protect consumers looking to purchase vital goods.

“Early morning tornadoes and severe weather ripped through North Florida—causing major damage and widespread power outages,” she said. “As emergency crews remove road debris and rush to restore power, it is vital that Floridians in hard hit areas heed the advice of local officials.”

“Those consumers who are purchasing emergency supplies should report any incidences of suspected price gouging by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com to file a complaint,” she said.

The hotline is made for “reports of extreme prices on essential commodities.” These include things like gasoline, food, water and more.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ emergency declaration for the weather impacts includes Baker, Columbia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties. 

The hotline is typically activated for such natural disaster situations, and was used during major instances like Hurricane Ian and Idalia.

Those who violate Florida’s price gouging laws can be fined $1,000 for each violation, and up to $25,000 for multiple committed within 24 hours.