After storm, price-gouging alert for Suffolk residents in need of essentials

Suffolk residents seeking essential items and repairs after a storm battered the North Shore should be on the lookout for price gougers, according to state Attorney General Letitia James and consumer advocates.

Although Suffolk officials said they have so far received no complaints of price gouging, James' office said they are investigating one case.

"As families in Suffolk County recover from the devastating aftermath of last week’s storm, I am warning businesses not to use this as an opportunity to unfairly raise prices," James said in a statement. "New York’s price gouging laws are clear that emergencies are not a time for businesses to rake in profit by raising prices of essential items."

Damage overall in Suffolk could exceed $100 million, according to County Executive Edward P. Romaine. At least 81 homes sustained major damage, officials said.

Penalties for price gouging can be as high as $25,000 for each violation, James' office said. Consumers seeking to report inflated prices should include information such as a list of items that they believe were overpriced and documentation of what they paid.

But to avoid being swindled, residents can take several steps as they seek goods and services to make repairs, experts said. 

Residents should vet contractors "to make sure they’re paying a fair market rate," said Ree Wackett, advanced certified business adviser and small business educator at the Small Business Development Center at Stony Brook University.

Wackett specifically urges homeowners to get several quotes as part of the vetting process to ensure that they get a fair market rate.

A contractor, she noted, should be licensed. It’s also important for a homeowner to check if they might be eligible for reimbursement from their insurer or the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Claire Rosenzweig, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York, said avoiding becoming a victim needs to begin long before a storm hits. 

Homeowners should have the contact information of vetted and licensed contractors so that in the event of a natural disaster, Rosenzweig said, they are less likely to go with unscrupulous providers.

"When there is no stress, no emergency, have a couple of them prepared in your ... go-to bag," she said.

Get written estimates, Rosenzweig added, and only sign a contract with all the details spelled out. Also, pay with a credit card, and make sure the materials are delivered before putting down a deposit.

As far as people going door to door to do repairs, Rosenzweig said its best to avoid them.

"Scammers just wait for the emotion," she said. "They wait for you to be afraid, under stress, anxious, needing to get something done now, you know, so just try to be prepared for all of these things."

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.