TRENTON — New Jersey is among 20 states backing a federal lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission that claims Dollar General routinely rang up shoppers at prices higher than those posted on its shelves, tags and advertisements.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the state's role on Tuesday, Oct. 27, according to The Lakewood Scoop. That outlet alone reported that the complaint was filed Oct. 26. The Associated Press reported that the case sits in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The chain is based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, near Nashville.

Both outlets reported that the complaint accuses the company of overcharging for years on groceries, cleaning products and other household staples. The FTC described "long-running deceptive pricing practices," the AP reported, and the complaint says the company let the problem persist despite "extensive corporate knowledge of the problem."

The Lakewood Scoop, the only outlet with these details, reported that the complaint cites tens of thousands of customer grievances nationwide about unhonored prices and says the overcharges cost shoppers millions of dollars, hitting the poorer and rural areas the chain serves.

"Bait-and-switch pricing hurts New Jersey families who are already struggling just to get by," Davenport said, according to The Lakewood Scoop. Christopher Peterson, acting director of the state Division of Consumer Affairs, said, as quoted by that outlet: "New Jersey will not tolerate deceptive pricing, especially when targeted at consumers who can least afford it."

"Dollar General has betrayed the trust of millions of American consumers and imposed significant financial harm on communities and consumers who are already struggling to make their paychecks last," wrote Christopher Mufarrige, who directs the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, the AP reported.

The claims are allegations in a civil case, and neither outlet reported any ruling or said what penalties the suit seeks. The company did not immediately reply when the AP sought comment.

The other states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. The Lakewood Scoop noted the chain has stores across Ocean County, including in Lakewood; neither outlet said whether any Shore store is named in the complaint.