Bureau Home / Do Not Call
| The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is Wisconsin's primary consumer protection agency. Its Bureau of Consumer Protection educates consumers on best practices to combat and avoid scams, fraud, and unfair business practices. DATCP enforces the federal and state Do Not Call laws to protect Wisconsin residents from unwanted sales calls and texts.
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Wisconsin’s Bureau of Consumer Protection works in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce telemarketing laws and stop unwanted calls and texts. The FTC maintains the Do Not Call list of Wisconsin telephone numbers.
Telemarketers can register and find resources on DATCP's Telemarketer Registration webpage.
Criminals often use telemarketing as a tool to reach their victims. Registering your phone number on the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry gives you the opportunity to limit the number of telemarketing calls and texts you receive. If your phone number is on the Do Not Call Registry and you receive an unsolicited sales call or text, it is probably fraudulent. Wisconsin residents who sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry are protected by both the federal Do Not Call law and by Wisconsin’s telemarketing laws. Registration on the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry is permanent.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To find more frequently asked questions and their answers, see
DATCP's fact sheet.
How do I register?
Registration is free. You may sign up for the Do Not Call Registry by:
- Calling toll-free from the phone number you wish to register: (1-888) 382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236)
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Registering online.
You may register up to three home or cell phone numbers at one time on the Do Not Call Registry website. The online registration process requires an active email address. You will receive a separate confirmation email for each number you wish to register online. You must open each email and click on the link in each email within 72 hours to complete the registration process. If you have more than three telephone numbers, you will have to go through the registration process more than once to register all your numbers. There is a limit on the number of phone numbers you can register in this manner.
How can I verify my number is on the registry?
Verify your number is on the Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov or by calling (1-888) 382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) from the phone number you wish to register.
When you register, telemarketers will have 31 days to remove your number from their call lists. If you receive a call from a telemarketer after 31 days, file a complaint.
Why do I get calls when I'm on the registry?
The Do Not Call Registry is a tool to reduce the number and frequency of unwanted calls. Some businesses and organizations are permitted by law to call numbers on the registry, including:
Companies or businesses with which you are a current client.
Organizations you have given prior consent to contact you.
Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.
Noncommercial calls such as polls, surveys and political messages.
Calls made to a number listed in the current local business telephone directory.
Calls made by an individual acting on his or her own behalf and not as an employee or agent of any other person.
Collection agencies.
Even if a call or text is exempt from this law, you can still stop many of these contacts by telling them not to contact you again. Federal law requires a business to place your name on their internal 'no call' list if you request it.
What about text messages?
Wisconsin law protects cell phone users from unwanted text messages. If your cell phone number is on the Do Not Call Registry, unsolicited text sales pitches are illegal. The same exemptions apply to texting.
Robocalls
If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it is a robocall. You have probably received robocalls about candidates running for office or charities asking for donations. These robocalls are allowed. But if the recording is a sales message and you have not given your permission to receive calls from the company, the call is illegal. In addition to the phone calls being illegal, their pitch is most likely a scam.
Why am I getting so many robocalls?
Companies use "autodialers" that can send out thousands of phone calls every minute for an incredibly low cost. The fraudulent companies that use this technology do not screen for numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. If a company does not care about obeying the law, you can be sure they are trying to scam you.
What should I do about robocalls?
Hang up the phone. Do not press any buttons to speak to a live operator or remove your number from the list. If you respond by pressing any button, it will probably just lead to more robocalls.
Consider contacting your phone provider and asking them to block the number, and whether they charge for that service. Remember that telemarketers change Caller ID information easily and often, so it might not be worth paying a fee to block a number that will change.
Report the violation online or call the
Consumer Protection Hotline.
Report Violations
The DATCP Bureau of Consumer Protection is committed to ensuring that the Do Not Call law is enforced. If you are on the Do Not Call Registry and you get a call from a telemarketer 31 days after you registered your number, file a complaint or contact the
Consumer Protection Hotline.
Please provide as much information as you can, including the name of the telemarketing company, the location from which they are calling, the name of the person calling, the phone number they are calling from, and the product or service they called to sell.