CON­SUMER ALERT: Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Issues Guid­ance to Pro­tect Tex­ans from Flood-Relat­ed Scams and Price Gouging

As communities across Texas continue to be affected by devastating flooding and additional severe weather remains possible, Attorney General Ken Paxton is urging Texans to stay vigilant against scams, fraudulent charities, and illegal price gouging centered around the flooding in Texas. 

“My heart breaks for the victims whose lives have been lost and every Texan who has been affected by the devastating flooding we’re seeing, and I will not allow scammers and bad actors to price gouge as the storms continue to impact our communities. Unfortunately, bad actors often try to take advantage in difficult times by operating fake charities, running donation scams, and price gouging,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Let me be clear: it is illegal for a business or individual to price gouge and unreasonably raise the cost of goods during a declared disaster. My office will work to ensure that Texans are not taken advantage of. Anyone who believes they have encountered price gouging or a scam is encouraged to call my office’s toll-free complaint line at (800) 621-0508 or file a complaint online at https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection.”  

Texans who wish to give money or provide services to assist their fellow Texans impacted by the flooding should consider the following resources and practices to avoid scams and ensure their support is going to legitimate organizations:  

• CharityWatch, formerly known as The American Institute of Philanthropy, is a charity watchdog group that helps donors make informed choices.
• Do not wire money or confirm financial or personal information, including bank account, credit card, or Social Security numbers. 
• GuideStar gathers data on millions of IRS-recognized nonprofits. 
• Do not trust a name or phone number. Scammers often use fake names and phone numbers to disguise their identity and area code. 
• You can put your number on the Texas Do Not Call Registry (by visiting  www.TexasNoCall.com or by calling toll-free at 1-888-309-0600) and the National Do Not Call Registry (by visiting www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free at 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236)).  

For additional tips and guidance, visit the Office of the Attorney General’s website here. Report suspected fraud or price gouging to Attorney General Paxton’s Consumer Protection Division by calling toll-free 1-800-621-0508 or by filing an online complaint here.