State of Wisconsin

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Advertising and Marketing Consumer Tips and Info

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	Charity Requests Do some research before you give to a charitable organization to avoid fraudsters who want to take advantage of your generosity.	Deceptive Advertising Advertising has a great influence on our purchasing decisions. It is important for consumers to understand exactly what ads are saying.
Door-to-Door Food Plans Solicitors may appear at your front door and offer to sell you discounted meat or other food products. These food service plans can sometimes be misleading.	Environmental Advertising Many products are advertised as environmentally friendly, green, recycled or recyclable, etc. Unfortunately, it is not always clear what these claims mean.	Fair and Trade Show Exhibitors Most consumers assume that all businesses at trade shows, fairs, or seminars are reputable. This can be a very expensive assumption.
Junk Mail/Unwanted Calls Americans receive millions of tons of junk mail every year, and telemarketing calls can be time-consuming and irritating. How can consumers reduce them?	Law Enforcement Fundraisers Solicitations, calls, and mailings from groups claiming to have an affiliation with police or firefighters should be examined carefully. They may be deceptive.	Magazine Sales Thousands of consumers buy magazine subscriptions every year. Unfortunately, problems like unfair sales and billing errors can occur.
Mail Order/Unordered Merchandise The Wisconsin Mail Order Law helps deal with a major mail order problem: failure to promptly deliver prepaid merchandise.	Price Comparison Advertising Almost every seller makes use of price comparisons, in which sales prices are compared to previous or future prices to show savings.	Price Gouging For the price gouging law to be enforced, the Governor must certify there is an emergency disrupting normal business transactions.
Prize Offers Some prize offers and sweepstakes are scams that use attention-getting gimmicks to appear legitimate. These offers may cost you.	Rebates Rebates are offered for everyday purchases like toothpaste and shampoo as well as large ticket items like furnaces or a new car.	Small Claims Court Does someone owe you money? You may not need a lawyer and the rules are simpler than in most court proceedings.
Surplus Goods and Government Sales Most items in a surplus auction do not sell for unbelievably low prices. Government auction services usually sell goods at or below cost.