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The Monterey County District Attorney is investigating reports of price gouging at local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DA's office said that it is illegal to drastically mark up prices on food, emergency supplies, medical supplies, building materials and gasoline in a March 12 press release.
That antigouging law also applies to services, including repair, emergency cleanup, transportation, freight, storage, hotel and rental housing services, according to the DA's office.
There are exceptions, mainly for hikes in the cost to produce the service or product. But generally any increase of more than 10% from the pre-crisis price is considered gouging, the DA's office says.
Violators can face up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000 if prosecuted criminally. Offenses handled in civil courts can lead to fines of $2,500 per violation in addition to injunctions and restitution for victims.
Anyone with information is asked to call (831) 647-7770, email Maranod@co.monterey.ca.us or send the allegations via mail to 1200 Aguajito Road Ste 301, Monterey, Calif., 93940.
In addition, the Better Business Bureau is asking customers to report price gouging at bbb.org/ad-truth/report-a-bad-ad/.
The BBB says "it will follow up with companies that have inflated prices in the wake of the crisis and will work with attorneys general and other appropriate agencies to address particularly egregious cases."
It says businesses shouldn't raise any prices beyond its own increased costs. Doing so violates the BBB's standards for trust.
"BBB warns businesses to avoid the temptation to raise prices during a situation such as a pandemic because it is illegal to do so in the State of California and because it erodes marketplace trust," according to a press release from a Central Valley BBB.
That BBB chapter says to gather as much information as safely possible and follow these three tips:
- Be as specific about the transaction as possible, including the name and address of the business, names of any employees involved, and information detailing the spike in pricing.
- Gather together documentation supporting the price gouging (receipts, photos of products and their advertising pricing, invoices, etc.)
- Compare pricing of similar products with other sellers in the areas as well as online. It’s important to note similarities and differences between brands, size/quantity, manufacturers, model numbers, and prices.
Consumers have been worried about potential price gouging of essential items amid the coronavirus pandemic. Local crime and neighborhood watch groups have had several posts with people asking about where to find necessities after being confronted with empty store shelves.
More: Salinas homeless shelters desperate for toilet paper, masks as COVID-19 leaves shelves empty
Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo, who represents most of Salinas, on Friday tweeted a letter seeking the governor's help in providing enough food and supplies to Monterey County.
Joe Szydlowski and David Rodriguez-Muñoz are multimedia journalists for the Salinas Californian. Help support The Californian's work: https://bit.ly/2Qo298J
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Here's how to spot price gouging in Monterey County - The Californian
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