FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2024
Contact: Caleb Kulich, Public Information Officer, (608) 621-1290, caleb.kulich@wisconsin.gov
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MADISON, Wis. – Governor Evers has proclaimed March 3-9, 2024 as National Consumer Protection Week in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is celebrating by promoting its many free resources and programs for consumers, including several that are new and improved.
“DATCP’s Bureau of Consumer Protection works hard to serve Wisconsin residents and visitors alike. Last year, our staff responded to over 10,000 consumer complaints and over 26,000 calls and emails to the Consumer Protection Hotline, and conducted more than 420 presentations on consumer issues,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “I want to thank these staff for their efforts to protect consumers from unfair business practices, scams, and identity theft.”
New this month, DATCP has redesigned its trade and consumer protection webpages on datcp.wi.gov to provide a more useful and enjoyable user experience. Additionally, DATCP now offers more than 150 of the Bureau of Consumer Protection webpages in Spanish with content ranging from informative fact sheets to identity theft resources and complaint forms. A new DATCP consumer protection newsletter, Wisconsin Consumer News, also launches this month. Consumers can subscribe to receive emails with news, tips, and information about common issues, scams and fraud, upcoming presentations, and other initiatives.
DATCP provides free presentations across Wisconsin on a variety of consumer protection topics, including common scams, identity theft, landlord-tenant issues, motor vehicle repair, and more. In 2023, thousands of consumers were reached through hundreds of presentations. Anyone can request a public or private presentation for their community, organization, or business today by visiting ConsumerProtection.wi.gov and clicking “Presentations.”
If you do not have the time or opportunity to attend a presentation, free digital copies of DATCP guides and resources are available at ConsumerGuide.wi.gov. These include the Consumer Guide, which contains more than 40 pages of comprehensive information on a wide range of consumer protection issues and topics; the Landlord Tenant Guide, which lays out the rights and responsibilities of both parties in Wisconsin rental housing agreements; the Ready Reference Guide, which consumers can use to quickly find the organizations and resources they need for their specific issue; and more than 120 fact sheets about specific consumer topics.
Consumers can visit NoCall.wi.gov to learn more about the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry, which can reduce the number of unwanted sales calls they receive. By signing up, you can add your phone number to a database of more than 4.97 million numbers that all licensed, legitimate telemarketers in Wisconsin are required to remove from their call lists. In the effort to combat illegal and unwanted robocalls, DATCP also assists in nationwide efforts such as Operation Stop Scam Calls.
DATCP responds to each and every consumer complaint it receives. To file a complaint or for more information and consumer protection resources, visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov. DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline can be contacted at (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov if you have consumer questions or concerns.