July 10, 2007 -- Recent flooding in Southeast Kansas has increased allegations of price gouging. Attorney General Paul Morrison again today cautioned consumers to be on the lookout for price gouging and other scams in these disaster areas. He also warns businesses that unconscionable pricing practices will be investigated and prosecuted.
“We want consumers and businesses to know the Attorney General’s Office is watching the situation in Southeast Kansas very carefully and will not tolerate price gouging,” Morrison said. “Businesses found to be participating in price gouging will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Following serious disasters or emergencies, certain products or services are in high demand. That does not give businesses the right to drastically increase the price. K.S.A. 50-6,106 specifically prohibits “unjustifiably increasing during a time of disaster the price at which any necessary property or service is offered for sale to consumers.”
“I encourage any Kansas consumer who witnesses price gouging in their community to contact the Attorney General’s Office immediately,” Morrison said.
Report all complaints of price gouging immediately to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at (800) 432-2310 or online at: www.ksag.org.