The AG's Office began investigating possible price gouging by North Carolina gas stations after thousands of consumer complaints started pouring in on Sept. 12, 2008. North Carolina's law against price gouging was triggered that day by the [image-nocss] declaration of an abnormal market disruption due to Hurricane Ike striking the Gulf Coast.
In the latest actions related to this investigation, Cooper yesterday announced that he has filed suit against the owner of two Yadkinville stations and won refunds and penalties from a Greensboro gas station.
In a complaint filed in Wake County Superior Court, Cooper contended that LR&S Inc. overcharged consumers at two stations in Yadkinville. The complaint alleges that the company's Four Sisters Center gas station and Yadkinville Food Mart raised their retail prices for gasoline from under $4 a gallon to as much as $5.679 a gallon within a matter of hours on Sept. 12, 2008. That price hike increased the company's markup over wholesale costs by more than 400%, according to the AG's investigation. The stations dropped their prices later that day after the media reported they were price gouging.
Cooper is asking the court to order LR&S to pay refunds to consumers and civil penalties to the state.
Under a settlement announced yesterday, the owner of Irving Park BP has agreed to pay more than $5,400 in refunds and penalties to resolve allegations that it gouged customers by charging $5.199 a gallon for gasoline on Sept. 11 and 12, 2008. According to Cooper's investigation, the station in Greensboro overcharged consumers by more than $430.
Cooper previously won refunds for consumers, civil penalties for public schools and payments to special funds to provide energy assistance to low-income North Carolinians from the following stations: Circle B gas station in Fayetteville; five Big D gas stations in Murphy, Marble and Hayesville; The Corner Market gas station in Jefferson; Old Fort Citgo in Old Fort; M & J Food Mart in Asheville; and Shell To Go in McLeansville.
In addition, Cooper filed suit in October of 2008 against Steven Compton, owner and manager of Tire Pro also known as Troy BP, in Troy. That case is currently in discovery.
Although yesterday's announcement wraps up the investigation into price gouging by stations, Cooper's Consumer Protection Division is still investigating possible price gouging by gasoline wholesalers and distributors, it said.
Also, the AG's Office has issued letters to 12 gas station owners that it has not found a violation that warrants any further action at this time.
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