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SOUTH CAROLINA () – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Sunday that the state’s law against price gouging is now in effect since Gov. Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency to support South Carolina’s ongoing response to wildfires burning across the state.
“According to the State Fire Marshal, there are response operations going on for more than 175 wildfires across the state affecting thousands of acres. We could see normal price increases, and those are not considered price gouging under our law. But we may see businesses and individuals looking to unfairly take advantage of the situation through price gouging of food, gasoline, lodging, and other commodities as defined by the statute. By our law, that’s a criminal violation and an unfair trade practice,” Attorney General Wilson said in a news release.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the price gouging law is a general prohibition of unconscionable prices during times of disaster. It is in effect until the state of emergency expires or is terminated. Price gougers can be charged for excessive pricing, a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $1,000 fine and/or 30 days in jail.
Normal fluctuations in price are to be expected and are not price gouging, but if you feel like you are the victim of price gouging there are certain steps you can take to help Attorney General Wilson’s office investigate. Please do the following:
- Note the time, place, address, and name of the gas station or business.
- Note the price you paid.
- Note any prices nearby and get the same information on those stations or businesses.
- Take that identify the business, along with the price.
- Provide your name and contact information.
Email any examples and documentation to pricegouging@scag.gov. You can also provide the information on their website at If you don’t have access to email or their website, you may call 803-737-3953 and leave a message if you have witnessed a likely violation.
