Cloquet council member tells mask seller to beat it

Cloquet City councilor Lara Wilkinson had harsh words for a man who was selling rather expensive face masks and gloves out of the back of his vehicle in a Cloquet parking lot on Sunday morning, as reported in the Duluth News Tribune earlier this week.

“No. 1. It’s unethical,” Wilkinson said. “Plus people can’t come in here and sell masks from the back of a truck. It’s not legal here.” She said the city of Cloquet has a requirement for a transient merchant license in cases like that. “So I hope no one thinks they can do that.”

Last week Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he was concerned with reports that some retailers may be engaged in price-gouging practices by selling essential goods or services at unconscionable or excessively inflated prices as a result of COVID-19. Ellison encouraged consumers to report such practices to the Attorney General’s Office; there is a new price-gouging complaint form at the website ag.state.mn.us.

He also provides warnings, tips, and resources to Minnesota consumers so that they can be on the lookout for and protect themselves from scams related to the pandemic. He said scammers are increasingly preying on Minnesota consumers in recent days.