SC AG sending possible price gouging cases to solicitors

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)–The SC Attorney General’s Office says it has received more than 650 complaints of price gouging since the governor declared a state of emergency on March 13th.

The office says it examined each complaint to see which met the state’s definition of price gouging, those were then sent to local solicitors for further investigation.

Price gouging is when there is a “gross disparity” between the price of an item during an emergency and its average price.

According to a news release from the AG’s office, of the complaints logged, the most common are: sanitizer, including sanitizing wipes, sanitizing hand gels, and cleaning sprays; toilet paper; face masks; and food, especially meat and eggs.

Violating the state price gouging law is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, 30 days in jail, or both.