The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has received more than 1,600 price gouging complaints since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, authorities said Friday.
Pennsylvania’s total number of logged complaints is among the highest in the country, although not every state has released numbers. It has already sent dozens of cease-and-desist orders to sellers, the attorney general’s office said.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, her office received 823 complaints of coronavirus-related price gouging, with 251 coming that day alone.
Ms. Nessel said about half the complaints are being processed online, while the rest have been fielded via phone.
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs has received over 1,000 complaints and it has issued 550 violations totaling $275,000 in fines.
Most of the items reported are health care essentials that have become scarce since the pandemic was declared last week. That includes hand sanitizers, face masks and even toilet paper.
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