Communities in Gaylord continue to pick up the pieces of their home town, which was thrashed by a deadly tornado last Friday. It’s during this time of vulnerability, Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel, said there may be scammers circling their targets.
After natural disasters, the demand for basic goods and services often spikes, which can lead to price gouging by scammers. There have already been reports of this in Gaylord. Nessel sent investigators into the town on Monday.
“Residents who are already struggling in the wake of a natural disaster must be protected from bad actors that are intent on exploiting hardship for their own gain,” Nessel said, “My department’s investigators are on the ground in Gaylord to ensure the price of goods and services are fair and not artificially inflated to take advantage of the circumstances.”
Michigan law prohibits any retailer from charging a price that is "grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold."
The state doesn’t have a law specifically prohibiting price gouging in response to a disaster. Nevertheless, Nessel said in a statement she “does not tolerate any unscrupulous behavior when it comes to gouging.”
Her office is asking individuals to report any price gouging they experience to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection division at 877-765-8388.
