Federal, State Officials Warn of Price Gouging Ahead of Milton

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Federal and state officials are warning of price gouging as essentials like water, gas, and lumber dry up ahead of Hurricane Milton.

“We’re hearing troubling reports of price gouging for essentials that are necessary for people to get out of harm’s way — from hotels to groceries to gas,” Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said in a statement Wednesday.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said her office has received more than 200 complaints about price gouging as thousands of residents prepare to evacuate from the Category 4 hurricane.

One Airbnb listing included a “room in Tallahassee” for nearly $6,000 a night.

“Our team already reached out to our (Airbnb) corporate contact and tracked down the owner,” Kylie Mason, Moody’s spokesperson, told the Tallahassee Democrat. “We are sharing a copy of the price gouging statute … and making them aware of their legal responsibility.”

State law prohibits price gouging for equipment, food, gasoline, hotel rooms, ice, lumber, and water during a storm-related state of emergency, according to the attorney general’s office.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his office was “keeping a close eye on flights in and out of areas affected by Hurricane Milton to make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares” after people started questioning prices for flights out of areas bracing for impact from Milton.