Texas Attorney General says 127 Texas price gouged during Hurricane Harvey

This article was originally published in The Examiner on Nov. 2, 2017.

By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Consumer Protection Division sent notices of violations to 127 Texas businesses accused of price gouging during the state of disaster declared for Hurricane Harvey, according to a news release.

All of the cases involve consumer complaints against gas stations that allegedly charged $3.99 or higher for a gallon of unleaded gasoline or diesel, the Texas Attorney General’s Office said.

“At the outset of Harvey, I made it clear that my office would not tolerate price gouging of vulnerable Texans by any individuals or businesses looking to profit from the hurricane,” Paxton said in the news release. “We’ve given 127 alleged offenders an opportunity to resolve these issues with our office or face possible legal action for violating state law. Our investigation of other businesses into price gouging remains ongoing.”

The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act prohibits anyone from taking advantage of a disaster declared by the governor and selling or leasing gasoline or other necessities for excessive or exorbitant prices, the Texas Attorney General’s Office said. This law authorizes the attorney general to file price gouging lawsuits and allows seeking refunds for money unlawfully taken from consumers, civil penalties up to $20,000 per violation, and court orders to prevent future price gouging.

During the disaster following Hurricane Harvey and the unprecedented flooding, Attorney General Paxton’s Consumer Protection Division received approximately 5,500 price gouging complaints about businesses, officials said.

“Many Texans e-mailed photos and receipts as evidence,” the Texas Attorney General’s Office said. “Numerous businesses receiving notices of violations are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.”

Any Texans who believe they have been scammed or price gouged should call the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Hotline toll-free at (800) 621-0508, e-mail consumeremergency@oag.texas.gov, or file a complaint online at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint.