How to Identify and Report Price Gouging

Absurd prices for products should not be a concern during this outbreak. Here's how to identify price gouging and put a stop to it.

As the coronavirus continues to spread in the United States, more Americans are taking precautionary measures like using hand sanitizer, halting travel and avoiding handshakes. There is a lot to worry about with this outbreak, but absurd prices for sanitizers and other critical safety supplies shouldn’t be one of them.

How do I spot price gouging?

1) Extraordinarily high prices: Businesses are allowed to increase prices for critical supplies during an emergency, but they are NOT allowed to raise the price of products excessively to take advantage of the current pandemic. While laws vary by state, increases over 20% may be considered price gouging.

2) Price Comparison Between Similar Products: Some state laws, prohibit significant increases in prices as compared to other products. For instance, if one hand sanitizer is priced at double the cost of similar products, that may violate price gouging laws.

3) Err on the side of caution: If you aren’t sure whether a product is priced too high, it’s better to report problematic items to the company and your Attorney General.

What do I need to report price gouging?

You should report any potential price gouging to your state Attorney General. You will generally need:

1) The name of the store/vendor where you saw the item and their address.

2) Product details, including, but not limited to, the product type, brand, size, and price

3) The date, time, and location you saw the product.

4) You can improve the investigation by providing a picture of the item.

How can I report price gouging?

You should report price gouging to the company and your Attorney General. Contact information for each state’s Attorney General is listed below.

Alabama 

Online Report Form: https://www.alabamaag.gov/consumercomplaint

Phone Number: 334-242-7335

Alaska

Online Report Form: http://www.law.state.ak.us/department/civil/consumer/cp_complaint.html

Phone Number: 907-269-5200

E-mail: [email protected]

Arizona

Online Report Form: https://consumer-complaint.azag.gov/publiccomplaint/begin.aspx

Phone Number: (602) 542-5763

E-mail: [email protected]

Arkansas

Online Report Form: https://arkansasag.gov/covid19/report/

Phone Number: (501) 682-2007

E-mail: [email protected]

California

Online Report Form: https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company

Colorado

Online Report Form: https://coag.gov/file-complaint/report-consumer-fraud/

Phone Number: 720-508-6000

Connecticut

Online Report Form: https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint/

Phone Number: 860-808-5420

E-mail: [email protected]

Delaware 

Online Report Form: https://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/fraud/cpu/complaint/

Phone Number: (302) 577-8600

E-mail: [email protected]

Florida

Online Report Form: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/PriceGouging!OpenForm

Phone Number: (866) 9NO-SCAM

Georgia

Online Report Form: http://ocp.ga.gov/form/consumer-complaint/step1

Phone Number: (404) 651-8600

Hawaii

Report Form: https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/files/2018/02/Complaint-Form-and-Instruction-2018-WEB.pdf

Phone Number: (808) 586-2630

E-mail: [email protected]

Idaho

Online Report Form: https://www.ag.idaho.gov/office-resources/online-forms/?form=File%20a%20Complaint&complaint=Consumer%20Complaint

Phone Number: 208-334-2400

Illinois

Online Report Form: https://ccformsubmission.ilattorneygeneral.net/

Phone Number: 1-800-386-5438 (Chicago)

1-800-243-0618 (Springfield)

1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)

Línea Gratuita en Español: 1-866-310-8398

Indiana

Online Report Form: https://indianaattorneygeneral.secure.force.com/ConsumerComplaintForm

Phone Number: 317.232.6330

Iowa

Online Report Form: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint/complaint-form

Phone Number: 515-281-5926

E-mail: [email protected]

Kansas

Online Report Form: https://ag.ks.gov/complaint-center/consumer

Phone Number: (785) 296-3751

Kentucky

Online Report Form: https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/AttorneyGeneral/PriceGougingComplaintForm

Phone Number: 1-888-432-9257

Louisiana

Online Report Form: http://www.ag.state.la.us/Form/Consumer/Dispute

Phone Number: 225-326-6465

Maine

Online Report Form: https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml

Phone Number: (207) 626-8849

E-mail: [email protected]

Maryland

Online Report Form: https://web.oag.state.md.us/editor/customer/onlineformhelpers/formviewer.aspx?filename=MUGeneral.htm

Phone Number: 410-528-8662

E-mail: [email protected]

Massachusetts

Online Report Form: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint

Phone Number: (617) 727-8400

E-mail: [email protected]

Michigan

Online Report Form: https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx

Phone Number: 517-335-7622

E-mail: [email protected]

Minnesota

Online Report Form: https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Forms/ConsumerAssistanceRequest.asp

Phone Number: (651) 296-3353

Mississippi

Phone Number: 601-359-3680

Missouri

Online Report Form: http://ago.mo.gov/app/consumercomplaint

Phone Number: 800-392-8222

E-mail: [email protected]

Montana

Online Report Form: https://app.doj.mt.gov/apps/oscar/complaintstart.aspx

Phone Number: 406-444-4500

E-mail: [email protected]

Nebraska

Online Report Form: https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/file-consumer-complaint

Phone Number: (800) 727-6432

E-mail: [email protected]

Nevada

Online Report Form: http://ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_Complaint/

Phone Number: (775) 684-1100

New Hampshire

Online Report Form (requires registration): https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints/index.htm

Phone Number: 603-271-3641

E-mail: [email protected]

New Jersey

Online Report Form: https://njconsumeraffairs.state.nj.us/file-a-complaint/

Phone Number: 973.504.6200

E-mail: [email protected]

New Mexico

Online Report Form: https://secure.nmag.gov/ecs

Phone Number: (505) 490-4060:

New York

Online Report Form: https://ag.ny.gov/price-gouging-complaint-form

Phone Number: 1-800-771-7755

North Carolina

Online Report Form: https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/

Phone Number: (877)-5NO-SCAM

North Dakota

Online Report Form: https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/consumer-resources/consumer-complaints/general-complaint

Phone Number: 1-800-472-2600

E-mail: [email protected]

Ohio

Online Report Form: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Individuals-and-Families/Consumers/File-A-Complaint.aspx

Phone Number: 800-282-0515

Oklahoma

Phone Number: (405) 521-2029

E-mail: [email protected]

Oregon

Online Report Form: https://justice.oregon.gov/consumercomplaints/OnlineComplaints/OnlineComplaintForm/en

Phone Number: 503-378-8442

Pennsylvania 

Online Report Form: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/

Phone Number: 717-787-3391

Rhode Island

Online Report Form: https://riag.wufoo.com/forms/q1851amb1bdd4d5/

Phone Number: (401) 274-4400

E-mail: [email protected]

South Carolina

Online Report Form (requires registration): https://applications.sc.gov/DCAComplaintSystem/Login/ConsumerLogin.aspx

Phone Number: 803-737-3953

E-mail: [email protected]

South Dakota

Online Report Form: https://atg.sd.gov/complaintform.aspx

Phone Number: (605) 773-4400

E-mail: [email protected]

Tennessee 

Online Report Form (requires registration): https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/consumer/file-a-complaint.html

Phone Number: (615) 741-4737

Texas

Online Report Form: http://txoag.force.com/CPDOnlineForm

Phone Number: (800) 621-0508

Utah

Online Report Form: https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/contact/complaint-form/

Phone Number: 1-801-366-0260

E-mail: [email protected]

Vermont

Online Report Form: https://agocapcomplaint.atg.state.vt.us/forms/consumer-assistance-program-complaint-form/

Phone Number: (802) 656-3183

E-mail: [email protected]

Virginia 

Report Form: https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/files/PriceGougingComplaintFormOAG.pdf

Phone Number: (804) 786-2042

Washington

Online Report Form: https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx

Phone Number: 1-206-464-6684

West Virginia 

Online Report Form: https://ago.wv.gov/Pages/consumercomplaint.aspx

Phone Number: 304-558-8986

E-mail: [email protected]

Wisconsin

Online Report Form: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/FileConsumerComplaint.aspx

Phone Number: (800) 422-7128

E-mail: [email protected]

Wyoming

Online Report Form: http://ag.wyo.gov/cpu/consumer-complaints

Phone Number: 307-777-6397

E-mail: [email protected]

Topics
Find Out More