Global Navigation
Office of The Attorney General
The State of New Jersey Office of The Attorney General (Dept. of Law & Public Safety) The State of New Jersey NJ Home Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Home
OAG Contact
spacer
Back to News Releases
OAG Home Attorney General's Biography
Attorney General's Biography
spacer spacer spacer
   
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
For Immediate Release: For Further Information:
January 18, 2019

Office of The Attorney General
- Gurbir S. Grewal, Attorney General
Division of Consumer Affairs
- Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director
Media Inquiries-
Lisa Coryell
609-292-4791
spacer
Citizen Inquiries-
609-984-5828
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs Warn New Jersey Residents to Beware of Price Gouging During State of Emergency
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer

Newark – As New Jersey braces for a State of Emergency to take effect during this weekend’s winter storm, the Office of the Attorney General and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs are warning residents to beware of storm-related price-gouging.

“We will not allow merchants to take advantage of consumers made vulnerable by this winter storm,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We are asking residents to immediately report any merchant that unlawfully increases prices for food, gas, hotel rooms, generators, or other necessary items or services in connection with this State of Emergency. Merchants who violate our price gouging laws face serious consequences.”

New Jersey's price gouging law prohibits excessive price increases during a declared State of Emergency, or for 30 days after the termination of the emergency. In anticipation of this weekend’s storm Governor Murphy declared a State of Emergency, which takes effect at noon on January 19.

Excessive price increases are defined as price increases that are more than 10 percent higher than the price at which merchandise was sold during the normal course of business prior to the State of Emergency. 

“Consumers who suspect storm-related price gouging should contact us  immediately,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “We will be monitoring the Division’s complaint line for messages throughout the weekend and our investigators stand ready to take immediate action to protect consumers from merchants seeking to unfairly profit from their suffering.”

Price-gouging violations are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and $20,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. Each individual sale of merchandise is considered a separate and distinct event.

If you believe price gouging or other disaster-related fraud is occurring, contact the Division of Consumer Affairs at (973) 504-6240. Please leave your name, contact information, nature of the complaint, and as much information about the business you are complaining about that you have, including the name of the business and location.  In cases of suspected price gouging, when possible, consumers should note the price of a good or service prior to the declared State of Emergency, and the price after the state of emergency has been declared, when filing a complaint. Investigators will work to address the complaint as quickly as possible.

spacer

spacer
OAG on Twitter OAG on Facebook OAG on Instagram OAG on Flicker OAG on YouTube
spacer
Follow the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office online at 
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flicker & YouTube. The social media links provided are for reference only. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office does not endorse any non-governmental websites, companies or applications.
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
 
News Index Page I top
 
Executive Assistant Attorney General
Attorney General's Message Ask the Attorney General
Contact OAG About OAG
OAG News OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Library Employment
OAG Grants Proposed Rules
OAG History OAG Services A-Z
Statutes
OAG Agencies / Programs / Units
Other News Pages Otras Noticias en Español Division of NJ State Police Division of Law News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Gaming Enforcement News
NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News
   
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement
NJ Home Logo
Departmental: OAG Home | Contact OAG | About OAG | OAG News | OAG FAQs
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New Jersey
This page is maintained by OAG Communications. Comments/Questions: email or call 609-292-4925
OAG Home OAG Home NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Graphic Click to enlarge chart Click to enlarge map Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click on image to enlarge... Click on image to enlarge... Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge... Click to enlarge... click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge click to enlarge