North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said in a Nov. 6 news release that his office has followed up with 51 consumer complaints about gas stations over-charging.
Of the 51 complaints, 42 were in response to Jackson’s N.C. Fuel Check initiative, where he asked consumers to let his office know if gas stations weren’t honoring Gov. Josh Stein’s law passed on Oct. 10 to suspend the N.C. gas tax (41 cents). The suspension of the tax will last through Nov. 30.
The other nine complaints were about discrepancies between the advertised price and the actual price at the pump, the release said. Â
“North Carolina drivers have been our eyes and ears, and now we’re following up on their reports,” said Jackson in the release. “We’re now seeing broad compliance with the law from gas stations, but we’re taking a closer look where we need to.”
The letters sent to the 42 gas stations are to notify them of the concerns about the pricing practices and to request a prompt explanation. A letter does not mean a gas station has been found to have violated the law, the release said. Â
The letters have been sent to retailers in these counties:
- Alleghany: 1
- Avery: 3
- Brunswick: 1
- Buncombe: 2
- Burke: 2
- Cherokee: 1
- Chowan: 1
- Clay: 1
- Cumberland: 1
- Currituck: 1
- Dare: 2
- Davidson: 2
- Durham: 1
- Franklin: 1
- Gaston: 1
- Guilford: 4
- Halifax: 1
- Iredell: 1
- Jones: 1
- Mecklenburg: 2
- Montgomery: 1
- Onslow: 2
- Pender: 1
- Person: 1
- Robeson: 1
- Rockingham: 1
- Union: 1
- Washington: 1
- Watauga: 2
- Wilson: 1
The referrals to the Department of Agriculture have been based on complaints about retailers in these seven counties. Â
- Madison: 1 Â
- Buncombe: 1
- Forsyth: 1
- Guilford: 2
- Nash: 2
- Onslow: 1
- Wake: 1
Jackson said drivers can still report gas stations they believe are breaking the law using the North Carolina Department of Justice’s dedicated reporting page at http://ncdoj.gov/ncfuelcheck. Consumers can also call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.