NC settles with Charlotte gas station that went viral for charging $9.99 per gallon
A Charlotte gas station seen in a viral TikTok overcharging on fuel during the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack and shutdown in May settled in court with the state of North Carolina on Wednesday.
Mansa Travel Center Charlotte LLC increased its prices for mid-grade and premium gas to $9.99 per gallon — a 278% increase — on or before May 13, the Observer previously reported.
State Attorney General Josh Stein reached the $20,305.58 settlement with the company nearly four months after announcing the lawsuit. It claimed the station sold gasoline at “unreasonably excessive prices” despite no material increase in fuel costs.
North Carolina law prohibits businesses from excessively raising prices during a crisis and goes into effect when the governor declares a state of emergency, which Gov. Roy Cooper did on May 10.
In addition to the settlement, the judgment requires the company to permanently install software that records the prices at which it sells gas, and the number of gallons sold at each price.
“I’m pleased that customers who were forced to pay outrageous prices for gas during the pipeline shutdown will get some relief,” Stein said in a statement. “Businesses cannot take advantage of a state of emergency to price gouge North Carolinians. If they do, I’ll hold them accountable.”
Consumers who purchased gasoline from the Queen’s Market Exxon Mobil at 1339 W. Sugar Creek Rd. between May 11 and 14, and believe they were charged an excessive price, may request a claim form by emailing PGSettlements@ncdoj.gov or calling the Attorney General’s Office toll-free within N.C. at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. Mansa Travel Center owns Queens Market Exxon Mobil.
One of those individuals claiming a form may be Charlotte truck driver Clarissa Rankin, who filmed the viral TikTok video, and is named in the initial lawsuit. Her video, which she shared to her 1.1 million followers, shows a receipt reflecting the $9.99 per gallon she paid for premium gas on May 12.
“I’m proud for my name to be located on there,” Rankin told the Observer in August. “This lawsuit is really sending a message to not just one gas station, but to other business owners also. You cannot do wrong by people in such a time of crisis.”
This is Stein’s second price gouging lawsuit, and first settlement, following the Colonial Pipeline shutdown, according to the N.C. Department of Justice.
The other lawsuit was filed on Aug. 6 and accuses Jack’s In & Out Food Mart in Durham of increasing the price of premium fuel from $3.29 per gallon on May 9, to $5.49 on May 11.
Since 2018, Stein has brought 11 lawsuits against 27 defendants under North Carolina’s price gouging statute. He has obtained 10 judgments against 19 defendants.
This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 3:55 PM.
