CHARLESTON – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has received nearly 700 consumer complaints related to the Coronavirus pandemic.
When Gov. Jim Justice issued a state of preparedness March 4, the state’s price gouging law went into effect. Morrisey’s office handles complaints related to those laws.
Morrisey spokesman Curtis Johnson told The West Virginia Record the office has received 673 complaints via phone calls, emails and written complaints.
“Most are for toilet paper, bottled water and cleaning supplies among a mix of other items,” Johnson said. “Our office has sent multiple letters to businesses whose conduct may have violated the state’s price-gouging law."
Johnson said the majority of the complaints have been about potential price gouging, but he also said it has fielded calls about landlords and refund issues related to cancellations caused by the pandemic. He said specifics about the complaints can’t be provided yet because of the investigations are ongoing.
"We've also sent out letters to landlords that have threatened eviction," Johnson said.
Morrisey still is asking consumers to be smart and vigilant as they conduct business during the pandemic.
“The coronavirus pandemic presents a challenge like none other,” Morrisey said during an earlier press conference. “COVID-19 has seemingly affected every aspect of life from the average trip to buy groceries, dine out and attend concerts or sporting events to one’s dream vacation planned months, if not years, in advance.
“Furthermore, the impact is still evolving, yet the need for consumers to be vigilant and take common-sense steps to protect their financial wellbeing is constant.”
The state’s price gouging law makes it unlawful for any person, business or contractor to inflate the price of food items, essential consumer items and emergency supplies by more than 10 percent of what the items sold for 10 days prior to the declaration.
The price gouging law takes effect during any state of emergency or state of preparedness as issued by West Virginia’s governor. Such laws remain in effect until the declaration is lifted or 30 days, whichever is longer, subject to limited exceptions.
“Let me be clear about one point,” Morrisey said. “We have price-gouging authority in this office, and I intend to make sure that law is enforced.”
Last week, Morrisey and the state’s two U.S. Attorneys announced the formation of the West Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing pandemic.
The West Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force is a joint federal and state partnership that will be led by a Deputy West Virginia Attorney General, and Assistant United States Attorneys from both the Southern and Northern Districts of West Virginia, in partnership with experienced fraud investigators from the West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation and the West Virginia State Police.
“Since the Governor’s declaration, our Consumer Protection Division and its investigators have fielded hundreds of reports from those faced with price gouging, landlord-tenant issues and vacation/event cancellations,” Morrisey said in a press release. “The Consumer Protection Division has already sent multiple warning letters to businesses on enforcement matters.
"These are unparalleled times in which we live, and that’s why I am honored to join forces with U.S. Attorneys Bill Powell and Mike Stuart, as together, by combining the investigative and civil enforcement powers of the state Attorney General’s Office with the criminal prosecutorial authority of the federal government, our state is very well positioned to protect its citizens in this time of peril.”