Attorney General Josh Stein Announces that North Carolina’s Price Gouging Law is in Effect

RALEIGH, NC (September 26, 2024) ⇒ Attorney General Josh Stein today announced that North Carolina’s price gouging law is in effect in preparation for Hurricane Helene. The Department of Justice reviews price gouging complaints closely and Attorney General Stein will hold price gougers accountable for breaking the law.

“Hurricane Helene is expected to impact much of the state, especially the Piedmont and mountains,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Make sure you are prepared and follow local emergency guidelines. As you prepare for the storm and it concludes, watch out for price gougers, and report it to my office if you see it.”

North Carolina’s law against price gouging, or charging too much in times of a crisis, goes into effect when the governor or the legislature declares a state of emergency. In some cases, businesses and industries that are heavily impacted by the incident causing the state of emergency have a reasonable need to increase prices in order to resupply, but they should disclose these increases so people can make informed purchasing decisions. Businesses cannot, however, unreasonably raise the price of goods or services to profit from a state of emergency.

Ahead of the storm, make sure to follow proper storm preparation tips:

• List important numbers and store them in your wallet and cell phone. Numbers to include: your insurance agent’s phone number, your bank and credit card account and phone numbers, and the number for the Consumer Protection Division, 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

• Keep important documents such as insurance policies, mortgage documents, bank account information, passports, social security cards, and health insurance cards in a safe place where you can grab them quickly if you need to evacuate. You may also want to store copies in a secure location, such as a waterproof/fireproof container or a bank safety deposit box.

• Fuel up. If you know that you may need to evacuate in the coming days or hours, make sure your car has a full tank of gas and your cell phone and other portable devices are fully charged.

For general tips on preparing for a disaster, visit www.readync.org.

Following the storm, please report potential price gouging by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint at https://ncdoj.gov/pricegouging.

Since 2018, Attorney General Stein has brought 12 lawsuits against 29 defendants under North Carolina’s price gouging statute. He has obtained 14 judgments or settlements totaling $1,080,000 against 25 defendants, including a $274,000 settlement that was the largest price gouging settlement in the department’s history.

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