Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that his Consumer Protection Division settled lawsuits against two Texas gas stations accused of price gouging during the declared disaster for Hurricane Harvey. The attorney generals office also secured Assurances of Voluntary Compliance with four Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex gas stations.
Under separate agreements Encinal Fuel LLC and Lafayette C-Store will each pay $17500 in civil restitution to refund Texans who were charged up to $9.99 a gallon for gas from August 31-September 3 2017 at:
- Encinal Fuel 28442 South IH-325 Encinal TX; and
- Tejano Mart 505 502 Lafayette Street Laredo TX 78041
Four gas stations also signed agreements promising to reimburse consumers who were charged $3.99 or more per gallon of gas during Harvey:
- Rush 24/7 2410 S.Hampton Road Dallas TX 75224;
- Hans Texaco 12920 Preston Road Dallas TX 75230; and
- Hans Chevron 2590 E. Arkansas Lane Arlington TX 76014
- B Z Star Inc. 3020 Big Town Blvd. Mesquite TX 75150
Texas consumers who believe they were victims of price gouging should submit a claim form with Attorney General Paxtons Consumer Protection Division. Claim forms will be accepted for Encinal Fuel Tejano Mart Hans Chevron Hans Texaco and B Z Star through June 30 2019 while the deadline for Rush 24/7 claim forms is July 31 2019.
These latest settlements make things right for Texans who were charged excessive or exorbitant amounts for fuel during Hurricane Harvey" Attorney General Paxton said. The settlements also reinforce the message that my office will not tolerate price gouging of Texans by anyone looking to profit off disasters."
To date the Consumer Protection Division has finalized 61 Hurricane Harvey-related price gouging settlements totaling $307801 with gasoline stations across Texas.
As Hurricane Harvey was approaching the Texas coast in 2017 Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster activating a provision of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act that makes price gouging on necessities such as drinking water food and gasoline illegal. In the wake of the hurricane the attorney generals office received numerous complaints about inflated prices at gasoline pumps. Many Texans emailed photos and receipts as evidence. Investigations are ongoing.
Texans who believe theyve been scammed or price gouged by any business should call the attorney generals Consumer Protection Hotline toll-free at (800) 621-0508 email consumeremergency@oag.texas.gov or file a complaint online at https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/file-a-consumer-complaint.
View a copy of the final settlement with Encinal Fuel here.
View a copy of the final settlement with Tejano Mart here.
View a copy of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Rush 24/7 here.
View a copy of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Hans Texaco 24/7 here.
View a copy of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Hans Chevron here.
View a copy of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with B Z Star Inc. here.
