“Companies are on notice: Do not use the hurricane as an excuse to exploit people through illegal behavior,” Manish Kumar, deputy assistant attorney general of the DOJ Antitrust Division, said in a press release Wednesday.
“The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will act quickly to root out anticompetitive behavior and use every tool available to hold wrongdoers accountable,” Kumar added.
They warned of price gouging tactics for essential goods, which FTC Chair Lina Khan said the agency is already seeing “for essentials that are necessary for people to get out of harm’s way,” including for hotels, groceries and gas.
Khan said the agency is working to protect vulnerable Americans.
“No American should have to worry about paying grossly inflated prices when fleeing a hurricane. In partnership with state enforcers, the FTC will keep fighting to ensure that Americans can get the relief they need without being ripped off by bad actors exploiting a crisis,” Khan said.
Consumers should be on the lookout for scammers soliciting donations using names that imitate charities linked to the disaster, the agencies warned.
Scammers also often impersonate government officials and offer disaster relief in exchange for personal information or money, and sometimes they promote fake businesses or non-existent investment opportunities related to disaster recovery, including rebuilding or flood-proofing.
Federal officials said only scammers would ask for payment via wire transfer, gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or in cash. They also warned that legitimate offers for disaster relief will never require payment.
The Hill's Sarah Fortinsky has more here.
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