Florida's price gouging hotline was activated Tuesday, a day after Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in response to the growing number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state.
The hotline covers essential commodities including protective masks, sanitizing and disinfecting supplies like hand sanitizer, and commercial cleaning supplies. Violators of the state's price gouging statute are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period.
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“We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Florida very closely and following the Governor’s state of emergency declaration, our price gouging laws are now in effect," Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement. "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."
Price gouging can be reported by calling 866-9NO-SCAM or by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.
