Washington AG Ferguson goes after coronavirus price-gougers

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is going after price-gouging businesses selling protective masks and hand sanitizer at exorbitant prices.

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Cease and desist letters have gone out to five Washington businesses, telling them to stop gouging the public during this health crisis or face some serious fines. These are people, for example, that were selling an eight ounce bottle of hand sanitizer for $3.50 in January and are now charging $25.

Others are selling masks for three times the prices they were before the outbreak. The companies are located out of Spokane, Issaquah, Mill Creek, Seattle, and Gig Harbor. They were selling their overpriced items on Amazon, according to Ferguson’s office.

Amazon has been working to eliminate this price-gouging on its site, working with state Attorney Generals across the country. There are also some reports of Amazon itself actually engaging in some gouging as well.

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Ferguson’s letters threaten the companies with up to $2,000 fines for each violation if they don’t stop what they are doing.

“In this time of uncertainty, consumers should not have to worry about being charged excessive prices for goods they need to stay healthy,” he wrote.

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