What to do against gasoline price gouging?

September 7 , 2005

Congress is deeply committed to the energy stability of the United States; American families deserve to be treated fairly. Gouging is distinct, by definition, from price fixing, which is the collusion of multiple gas stations to set prices. Gouging is an act of an individual station taking advantage of supply problems (or even perceived supply problems). Both are illegal activities that will not be tolerated by federal, state or local authorities.

The Secretary of Energy, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice will conduct inquiries, where appropriate, into significant price increases, as it did in summer 2003 and will act to prevent any illegal anticompetitive pricing.

While the Department of Energy is working to address longer term supply issues, they’re also working to make sure American families are not victims of over-inflated prices at the pump. If you believe you may have been the victim of price-gouging or price-fixing, please report any possible corruption to your state and local authorities. Then, be sure to let the Department of Energy know via their website at http://gaswatch.energy.gov/ to report the incident.

Price Gouging Reporting Contact Information by State

Alabama
Attorney General's Family Protection Unit 1-800-230-9485 www.familyprotection.alabama.gov
A-G's office of Consumer Affairs 1-800-392-5658 www.ago.alabama.gov

Alaska
Alaska ’s Department of Law http://www.law.state.ak.us/consumer/complaint_form.html
Consumer protection Unit at: (907) 269-5200, or toll free at: 1-888-576-2529

Arizona (Note: Price gouging is not covered by state law, but they will enforce antitrust laws)
Attorney General’s Office ag.inquiries@azag.gov
Dept. of Weights and Measures http://azdwm.gov/

Arkansas
Attorney General’s Office http://www.ag.state.ar.us/citserv/pricegouging.htm

California
Attorney General’s Office gaspricinghotline@doj.ca.gov

Colorado (Note: Price gouging is not covered by state law)
Consumer Protection Line (800) 222-4444

Connecticut

Delaware
Attorney General’s Fraud & Consumer Protection 302-577-8600

Florida
Attorney General’s Citizen Services http://myfloridalegal.com/contact.nsf/contact

Georgia
Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs http://consumer.georgia.gov

Hawaii
Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs http://gascap.hawaii.gov 1-800-830-4295

Idaho (Note: Price gouging is not covered by state law, but they want to know if it happens)
Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit 1-800-432-3545
http://www2.state.id.us/ag/consumer/general/complaintforminfo.htm

Illinois
Attorney General http://www.ag.state.il.us/consumers/gas_prices.html

Indiana
Attorney General http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer/gasonline.html

Iowa
Attorney General 515-281-5926 http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/consumer/advisories/price_gouging.html

Kansas
Attorney General 1-800-432-2310

Kentucky
Attorney General gaspricecomplaints@ag.ky.gov

Louisiana
Attorney General 225-925-7455

Maine
Attorney General 207-626-8849

Maryland
Attorney General 410-528-8662 consumer@oaq.state.md.us

Massachusetts
Consumer Affairs 1-888-283-3757 www.mass.gov/consumer

Michigan
Attorney General 1-877-765-8388
https://www.michigan.gov/homeland/0,1607,7-173-23583_23713-64241--SS,00.html

Minnesota
Attorney General 651-296-3353

Mississippi
Attorney General 800-281-4418 http://www.agjimhood.com