Stay smart against scams and price gouging, officials warn

As if two deadly hurricanes in one month weren’t enough to contend with, residents of Florida and other southeastern states are also being urged to watch out for storm scams and price gouging. That’s the message from authorities, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and state attorneys general, who have all issued warnings to consumers about a potential increase in scams and unfair business practices stemming from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Stories of alleged flight price gouging were already circulating as Floridians prepared to escape the path of Wednesday’s storm, though airlines quickly responded to the allegations, as they did in the wake of Hurricane Irma in 2017.