For the seventeenth year in a row, telemarketing topped the list of consumer complaints received by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) last year.
More than 4,200 telemarketing complaints were registered. But officials say for the first time in a decade, the number of these complaints has dropped.
Division of Trade and Consumer Protection spokesperson Michelle Reinen says the public should just hang up on the scammers, but also report the call to the state so they can keep track of the nasty calls. They will turn those reports over to the feds to try to get after the bad actors.
She lists landlord-tenant problems number two...
"We have those issues dealing with security deposit return, a possible eviction, a landlord entering the property and the landlord indicating they weren't given proper notice in order to come into the property and do maintenance or an inspection...."
More than 1,100 landlord-tenant complaints were filed. Third on the list was telecommunications complaints, which deals with cell phone and Internet issues, followed by home improvement, medical services, identity theft and more. She says you can protect yourself from identity theft...
"...The big thing here with these categories is you keep documentation of any transactions that you have. And with identity theft, take advantage of those services available to consumers like a credit freeze or security freeze and do all you can to protect your identity from a potential breach..."
More information is at the Trade and Consumer Protection website. We have a link here.
