Johnathan Walker:Over 200 price gouging complaints as Florida residents evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton

TALLAHASSEE,Johnathan Walker FLA. — Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has received more than 200 complaints about price gouging as many thousands of residents prepared to evacuate from Hurricane Milton.

As of Monday, most complaints are about fuel and water, said Kylie Mason, Moody's spokesperson. The top three counties for complaints are Highlands, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. There were also scattered instances involving overnight accommodations, including one Airbnb listing of 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," Mason said. "We are sharing a copy of the price gouging statute ... and making them aware of their legal responsibility."  

Moody extended Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline, which was in effect for Hurricane Helene and Milton. The storm regained Category 5 strength Tuesday as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico and toward the Florida peninsula, where millions scrambled to wrap up storm preparations and evacuate vulnerable areas.

The National Hurricane Center said damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone. Hurricane warning maps show Florida blanketed in red and orange alerts.

Florida price gouging law covers lodging, equipment, food, and more

During a storm-related state of emergency, Florida law prohibits price gouging for equipment, food, gasoline, hotel rooms, ice, lumber, and water needed as a direct result of the event, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Violators are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period. More than 450 complaints of price gouging were received after Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 on Florida's Nature Coast near Dekle Beach in late September.

Those complaints were mostly about fuel in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties, which suffered catastrophic flooding hours before Helene hit the coast.

Hurricane Milton:Photos show Florida bracing for impact ahead of landfall

Avoid being scammed

Attorneys general in several states have warned people to be wary of an onslaught of scammers who usually show up in the wake of natural disasters and who some say are already arriving after Hurricane Helene tore through six states.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr urged people to be on the lookout for home repair fraud, charity fraud, imposter scams, and price gouging.

“As we pray for the families of those who lost their lives and all Georgians affected by Hurricane Helene, our consumer protection division continues to actively monitor reports of potential home repair fraud and other storm-related scams,” Carr said. “By doing research on a company or contractor, you can help to prevent one tragedy from leading to another."

To avoid being scammed, experts say, storm survivors should verify people are who they say they are and should be wary of anyone asking for sensitive information or money. Authorities in Hillsborough County, Florida, issued a set of tips on how to avoid falling for a sham contractor, adding, “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” Tips include: 

• Ensure repairs are covered by insurance and have an insurance company evaluate the damage before arranging repairs. 
• Obtain three written, itemized estimates for repairs. 
• Never pay the full cost of the repairs up front and be wary of providing large deposits. 

Contributing: Michael Loria, USA TODAY

Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at [email protected].