MI Attorney General Wants Your Complaints About Gas Prices
DETROIT (WWJ) - If you are upset about gasoline prices in Michigan and think you are being ripped off, there just might be a solution.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is now encouraging people who feel like they are being gouged at the gas pump to do something about it.
John Sellek, Director of Communications at the Michigan Office of the Attorney General, said a wide gap between the wholesale price and retail price gets their attention. The Office monitors statewide gas prices and profits on a daily basis in order to prevent price gouging.
Gas station owners pay a wholesale price for gas. According to the Office of the Attorney General's website, the cost to produce and deliver gasoline to consumers includes the cost of crude oil to refiners, refinery processing costs, marketing and distribution costs, and the retail station costs and taxes.
The prices paid by consumers at the pump reflect these costs, as well as the profits, of refiners, marketers, distributors and retail station owners.
Sometimes, gas station owners increase the consumer price so much that is leaves a wide gap between the retail and wholesale price. If the gap becomes out of the acceptable range, those gas station owners can be punished for breaking the law.
Selleck said they want gas station owners to know that someone is watching. If you become aware of direct evidence of a conspiracy between companies, and can produce a receipt or a picture of a station's pricing, contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 877-765-8388.
