(CNN) When North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Florence, the state's price gouging law went into effect.

The law mandates that businesses in the state aren't allowed to spike prices during any natural disaster for necessary items like food, water and hotel rooms.

But so far, the North Carolina Attorney General's office has received more than 500 complaints.

Residents have complained of exorbitant markups on such items as gas and water, Attorney General Josh Stein Stein said Sunday.

Stein said his office is also getting reports of hotels over-charging evacuees.

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