More than 800 price gouging reports received

With long lines and empty shelves at stores becoming more prevalent as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rise across Pennsylvania, the state’s top prosecutor is warning residents to be on the lookout for illegal price hikes.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Monday that his office has fielded more than 800 reports of price gouging.

“Thank you for keeping your eyes peeled, gathering information and taking action to protect yourselves and your fellow Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said in a message posted on Twitter. “We’ll take if from here.”

Shapiro has set up a special tool to help combat price gouging.

Pennsylvanians can alert authorities to instances of these predatory practices by sending an email to pricegouging@ attorneygeneral.gov. People who file complaints should include the name of the product, the price and the store location.

Officials from his office said that of the 806 emails they have received from residents, 25 complaints have been filed and 24 cease and desist letters have been sent out. They said the most common types of emails they’ve received have been for disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, bottled water, rubbing alcohol, liquid soap, face masks, rice, flour, lentils, paper towels, toilet paper and bleach.

When Gov. Tom Wolf issued a disaster declaration on March 6 to deal with the coronavirus, it triggered protections under state law against price gouging for consumers and businesses.

Under those rules, companies and vendors are prohibited from charging a price for consumer goods or services that exceeds 20% of the average price for which those goods or services were sold in the seven days before the date of declaration.

“As Pennsylvania continues to manage the spread of the coronavirus, merchants should be put on notice: You cannot use a public health emergency as a business opportunity,” Shapiro said. “For consumers, just know: If you see the price of basic goods skyrocket “reach out to my office. Let us know. Our agency is here to protect you from being taken advantage of.”

GENE J. PUSKAR - STAFF, AP A man shops in an aisle of mostly empty shelves in a Walmart in Cranberry Township in Western Pennsylvania on Friday.