New York Officials Warn Consumers Beware During Infant Formula Shortage

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection and State Attorney General Letitia James are both issuing statements regarding the current baby formula shortage.

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Both say New Yorkers have to be aware of unscrupulous practices from people trying to profit from the shortages by taking advantage of desperate parents.

Attorney Genera James warns price gouging is illegal and her office has gotten reports of baby formula being sold online for prices well above the retail value.  While artificially increasing the price is illegal, it is not illegal or retailers to limit the amount of formula they sell to individual consumers.

Consumers can report concerns about price gouging to the Office of the Attorney General by filing a complaint online or by calling 800-771-7755.

James is also encouraging residents who have unopened, unexpired infant formula to donate it to local food pantries to help families in need.

The Division of Consumer Protection says caregivers should safety check formula to make sure it is not subject to a recall and that it has not exceeded the expiration date.  Be wary of social media and use caution when shopping online.  Beware of fake websites that look like legitimate sites but have unusually low prices, beware of third-party vendors, read the product specifications to make sure you are getting what you are shopping for and use a credit card instead of debit card for online purchases so you have an opportunity to dispute charges if you don’t receive your product or get what you ordered.

More information is available by calling 1-800-697-1220 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and complaints can be filed at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection