THOSE
THOSE DEALING WITH COVID19 AND NOT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN HELPING US
WARN OTHERS ABOUT THOSE
PROFITING OFF THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE INVESTIGATING ANOTHER
CASE OF PRICE GOUGING.
>>
>> CAN
>> CAN I
>> CAN I ASK YOU, DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR TO SELL FOUR ROLLS
OF TOILET PAPER FOR $40?
>> A GARAGE DOOR SLAMS QUOTE
CLOSED IN A PHOENIX ARIZONA
SUBURB.
SUBURB.
SUBURB. WHAT LED TO THIS MOMENT STARTED
IN SOUTH ST. PAUL MINNESOTA.
>> YOU THINK YOU ARE THE VICTIM
OF PRICE GOUGING?
>> I KNOW I
>>
>> Reporter: LIKE MANY OF US HE HAD GONE TO THE GROCERY STORE
AND FOUND THE TOILET PAPER I'LL
BEAR.
BEAR.
BEAR. >>
BEAR. >> SO I GOT ONTO eBAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT LOOKS
LIKE IT IS A PACK, BUT I
THOUGHT I MUST BE GETTING A
FOUR PACK.
FOUR PACK. >> HE PLACED FOUR ORDERS AND
LEARNED THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE
WHEN HE REVIEWED HIS RECEIPT.
>> I WAS GETTING FOUR SINGLE
ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER, EACH ONE
COSTING ME $10, AND TO ADD
INSULT TO INJURY I LOOKED ON
THE PAYPAL ACCOUNT AND REALIZED
I WAS ALSO BEEN CHARGED AN
ADDITIONAL $20 FOR
>>
>> Reporter: THAT IS 60 BUCKS FOR FOUR ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER.
>> WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT
SMALL PRICE INCREASES,
REASONABLE JUSTIFIABLE PRICE
INCREASES.
INCREASES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PANDEMIC
PROFITEERING.
PROFITEERING. >> KEITH ELLISON HAS BEGAN
CRACKING DOWN AFTER GOVERNOR
WALLS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
BANNING EXCESSIVE AND
OPPORTUNISTIC PRICING.
OPPORTUNISTIC PRICING. THAT CAME IN THE WAKE OF AN
INVESTIGATION REVEALING
INVESTIGATION REVEALING MINNESOTA IS ONE OF JUST 16
STATES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE
PRACTICE WAS NOT ALREADY
ILLEGAL.
ILLEGAL.
ILLEGAL. IRONICALLY, ARIZONA IS ONE OF
THE OTHERS.
THE OTHERS. ELLISON'S OFFICE JUST SENT A
WARNING LETTER TO MINARD'S
ABOUT PRICE GOUGING VIOLATIONS
AND TOOK ACTION AGAINST THIS
DOWNTOWN SMOKESHOP FOR A NUMBER
OF PRICE GOUGING OVER CHARGES
INCLUDING SELLING TOILET PAPER
FOR $2.99 A ROLL.
>> PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.
>> JOHN TURNED TO eBAY, ASKING
TO CANCEL HIS PURCHASE BUT SAYS
HE WAS TOLD IT WAS TOO LATE AND
THEY HAD ALREADY SHIPPED MARCH
16.
16.
16. FRUSTRATED AND RESIGNED, JOHN
KEPT CHECKING HIS MAIL,
WATCHING.
WATCHING.
WATCHING. MORE THAN A WEEK PAST.
THE TOILET PAPER NEVER ARRIVED.
>> I'M STILL
>>
>> Reporter: HE WROTE US AND WE LOOKED INTO IT AND FOUND A
SHIPPING LABEL WAS CREATED
MARCH 16, BUT NOTHING SHIPPED.
WE TRACKED THE eBAY SELLER,
CUBS 120 16 BACK TO THIS
ARIZONA HOME AND ASKED A
REPORTER FROM OUR SISTER
STATION IN PHOENIX TO SWING BY.
>> WE ARE DOING A STORY ABOUT
PEOPLE SELLING GOODS ONLINE
LIKE TOILET PAPER FOR REALLY
HIGH PRICES.
HIGH PRICES. CAN WE ASK YOU ABOUT THE SALES
THAT YOU HAVE MADE?
>>
>>
>> Reporter: DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR TO SELL FOUR ROLLS OF
TOILET PAPER FOR $40?
>>
>> Reporter: HE DID RESPOND BY EMAIL, CLAIMING HE HAD PAID
$200 FOR 16 ROLLS OF TOILET
PAPER AND WAS JUST TRYING TO
RECOVER SOME OF HIS MONEY.
BUT, THEN DID NOT SHIP IT
BECAUSE HE FELT BAD.
IN THE END, HE PROMISED TO
CANCEL THE ORDER AND REFUND THE
MONEY.
MONEY.
MONEY. FOR JOHN, TP ROLLS GETTING THIN
AND THE SEARCH STARTS OVER.
>> WE ARE GOOD FOR A WEEK.
>>
>> AMY
>> AMY KLOBUCHAR IS GETTING INVOLVED AND CO-AUTHORED A BILL
TO PROTECT CONSUMERS.
SHE IS ASKING THE FTC TO TAKE
ACTION IN WORKING WITH THE
STATES ATTORNEY GENERALS.
>> THEY ARE UNITING TO TRY TO
TAKE THIS ON AND I THINK THAT
WE SHOULD HAVE MORE TOOLS AT
THIS STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
NOBODY SHOULD BE PROFITING OFF
OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MISERY RIGHT
NOW.
>>
>> WE
>> WE REACHED OUT TO MINARD'S IN THE SMOKESHOP AND THEY DID
NOT RESPOND BUT MINARD'S TELLS
US THAT THEY ARE STUDYING THE
LETTER AND WILL COMPLY WITH HIS
DIRECTIVES.
DIRECTIVES. IF YOU SEE A SCAM OR PRICE
GOUGING TEXT SCAMS TO