An anti-price-gouging hotline set up by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation is active today.
The number was established to report suspected instances of price gouging following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s declaration of a state of emergency on Jan. 7 due to wildfires in Los Angeles, according to a statement from the DA’s Office published Wednesday evening.
In a state of emergency, prices on “essential goods or services” may not be raised more than 10% as a form of consumer protection, the office stated. Transactions on food, water, pet food, flashlights, medicine, sanitary products, toiletries, diapers, medical supplies, emergency supplies and lodging are all subject to the policy, among other items…