PASCO COUNTY, Fla — Since activating Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline about a month ago, the state Attorney General’s Office has contacted businesses and online sellers about more than 2,700 reports of suspected price gouging and scams.
A Pasco County medical assistant warned the state after she spotted price gouging while trying to buy supplies to protect herself from COVID-19.
“I couldn’t just stand by and watch many other people price gouge on Amazon,” the medical assistant told 10Investigates in a text message.
She reported a seller who was listing a 20-pack of N95 masks for $299.99.
Now that listing has been removed, according to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
“We will not relent in these efforts to protect Floridians from gouging and COVID-19 related scams during this unprecedented time of crisis,” Moody said.
In the past month, her office has gotten Floridians more than $130 thousand in refunds, helped deactivate more than 130 online sales posts with outrageous prices and issued 59 subpoenas to further their price gouging investigations.
To report price gouging or scams related to the COVID-19 emergency, call 1(866) 9NO-SCAM, visit MyFloridaLegal.com or download the free NO SCAM app on Apple or Android.
You can find out more about Florida’s price gouging laws here.
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