DEL.ICIO.USWhat to do if you’re feeling gouged at the gas pump
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, September 14, 2008
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs got 6,000 complaints of price gouging at the gas pump.
Over the next year, the office, brought 83 cases against the gas suppliers who were determined to have gouged, said Bill Cloud, spokesman for the consumer affairs office.
Brian Feagans/bfeagans@ajc.com
Jonetta Myles, of Conyers, snaps a photo of her $111 bill Sunday. She documents large gasoline purchases in case she later realizes she was the victim of price gouging.
Now Consumer Affairs will receive a new batch of complaints about alleged gouging because of Hurricane Ike. Cloud said he doesn’t know how many complaints have been filed, since Gov. Sonny Perdue issued his anti-gouging order late Friday.
Consumer Affairs relies on the state agriculture department to keep an eye out for gougers through that agency’s inspectors, who check to make sure gas pump meters are correctly calibrated.
State revenue department agents who keep tabs on gasoline taxes from stations also keep an eye out for gouging in an informal manner, Cloud said.
Cloud said that the shortage Friday wasn’t really a shortage as much as run on gas.
“Believe me, if everybody goes out and buys gas, you’re going to run out of gas,” he said. “If you’ve got gas and don’t need to go on a trip, I’d wait to get gas later in the week.”
He said that if people think they have been gouged, save the receipt. “We can’t help you if you paid cash,” he said.
File a complaint
Drivers who think they’ve been gouged at the gas pump should save their receipt and contact the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs:
• In the Atlanta area: 404-651-8600
• Outside metro Atlanta: 800-869-1123
• Go online to www.consumer.georgia.gov.
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