High gas prices aren’t necessarily gouging, attorney general says

South Carolina’s attorney general has noticed increasing gas prices after Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas coast disrupting fuel supplies. But while South Carolina has experienced some of the steepest price increases in the nation, according to Gas Buddy, simple price hikes “do not equal price gouging under state law,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release on Friday.

“Price fluctuations are a normal part of the free market,” he said.

The AG office is monitoring prices because state law against price gouging goes into effect under “very specific circumstances,” Wilson said.

If you believe you have been a victim of price gouging you should take the following steps to help the AG’s office investigate, Wilson said.

1. Note the time, place, address, and name of the gas station

2. Note the price you paid

3. Note any prices nearby and get the same information on those stations

4. Take pictures that identify the station, along with the price

5. Provide your name and contact information

Any examples of suspected price gouging should be sent to pricegouging@scag.gov or call 803-737-3953.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "High gas prices aren’t necessarily gouging, attorney general says."