For Immediate Release:
Monday, September 29, 2025
Contact: nahmed@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809  

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson reminded North Carolinians today that the state price gouging law is in effect after Gov. Josh Stein declared a statewide state of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Imelda. The storm is expected to bring high levels of rain and the potential for floods to North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday.  

“We’re not going to let bad actors take advantage of North Carolinians during a storm,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “If you see something that might be price gouging, report it to our office right away. We’re going to review every complaint to protect people from scammers.”  

Under the price gouging law, businesses and individuals are prohibited from excessively raising the cost of goods or services they sell or rent while the state of emergency is in effect. The declaration was issued on Saturday, September 27, 2025, and will be in effect for 30 days.  

Sometimes, businesses may raise prices because they need to offset rising costs and the effects of critical incidents on their industry. But businesses can’t unreasonably raise prices to increase their own profit, and they should disclose any reasonable increases to customers before they buy. 

North Carolinians can report price gouging to the Department of Justice at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or www.ncdoj.gov/pricegouging. The latest updates on the storm and evacuation orders are available at https://www.readync.gov/.  

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