Friday, September 21, 2001

Self-interest overcomes nationalism
By Aaron Chimbel
Staff Reporter

Isolated cases of price gouging of gas and American flags have been reported across the nation since the attacks on New York and Washington.

Marie Pate, director of operations for the Fort Worth Better Business Bureau, said no swindling cases have been reported in the Fort Worth area.

According to The Associated Press, 28 Missouri service stations have been fined $1,000 by the state for raising gas prices past $2.49 a gallon Sept. 11. Kansas issued similar fines to 140 stations.

According to the AP, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon said investigators from his office visited more than 20 stations. He said investigators found one station selling gas for $10 a gallon after the attacks.

“We came in with the red, white and blue flag and they raised the white flag,” Nixon told the AP.

According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tri-Par Oil Inc. is donating profits from higher prices it made at eight stations in Wisconsin to the Red Cross. The owner of the stations said on average, his station rose prices 13 cents a gallon.

The Journal Sentinel also reported that Kwik Trip Inc. will donate $100,000 to the Red Cross for overcharging customers after the attacks.

Both companies ran advertisements in local newspapers apologizing for raising gas prices last week.

The American Red Cross and e-mail advocacy groups warned on Sept. 13 of online scams in the guise of soliciting donations for victims of the terrorist attacks.

According to a CNN.com report, ScamBusters (www.scambusters.org), a Web site dedicated on cyber fruad, said it recieved reports of “spammers” calling for emergency relief donations in the name of the International Red Cross but actually stole credit card information for ther own use.

The American Red Cross serving Fort Worth issued a press release warning potential donors about being conned out of their donations. According to the release, the chapter has received reports questioning whether some individuals are actually raising money for the Red Cross.

Mark Fisher, community relations and marketing specialist for the Red Cross, said he has not heard of anyone trying to swindle money from possible donors in Fort Worth.
There have been some reports of price gouging of the American flag, but Pate said none have been called into her office.

Local stores including Kmart and Wal-Mart on Hulen Street, and Target on Overton Ridge Boulevard have all sold out of American flags, managers from each store said. All of the managers said they did not raise prices on Old Glory.

According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Wal-Mart has sold 450,000 flags nationwide since Sept. 11. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber said during the same period last year the company sold about 26,000 flags the Chronicle reported.

Aaron Chimbel
a.a.chimbel@student.tcu.edu