Attorney General Roy Cooper demands information from possible price gougers
- Cooper’s office subpoenas seven gas stations, more subpoenas expected later this week

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

September 15, 2008

Contact: Noelle Talley
Phone: 919/716-6484


Raleigh: Attorney General Roy Cooper issued subpoenas Monday to seven North Carolina gas stations that allegedly charged consumers $5.49 or more a gallon for gas.

“There’s no excuse for ripping off consumers who are already hurting from high gas prices,” Cooper said. “Gouging for greed will not be tolerated in North Carolina.”

Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division issued the subpoenas today after getting more than 2,800 reports of possible price gouging from consumers across North Carolina. The subpoenas are being sent out today to be served by Sheriff’s Offices. Today’s subpoenas will be served on gas stations in Anson, Ashe, Cherokee, Guilford, Montgomery, Stanley and Transylvania counties. The subpoenas require retailers to provide documentation to the Attorney General’s Office by September 26 including information on their costs. Cooper expects to issue additional subpoenas to more gas stations later this week as part of this investigation.

“We will take legal action if our investigation reveals that any retailer, distributor or wholesaler has violated our price gouging law,” said Cooper.

Price gouging—or charging unreasonably excessive prices in times of crisis—violates North Carolina General Statute 75-38, when a disaster, an emergency or an abnormal market disruption for critical goods and services is declared or proclaimed by the Governor. On Friday, North Carolina’s law against price gouging was triggered by the declaration of an abnormal market disruption due to Hurricane Ike. The price gouging law, which Cooper helped strengthen in 2006, applies to all levels of the supply chain from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer.

“I encourage consumers to conserve and to check prices before buying gas,” Cooper said. “And let us know if you think you’ve found a case of price gouging.”

Consumers can report possible price gouging to the Attorney General’s Office by visiting http://www.ncdoj.gov to fill out a price gouging complaint form or by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina.