Top Consumer Complaints Of 2013

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• Telephones Account For 2 Of Top 3 Consumer Complaints In Wisconsin

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  Everyone, to one degree or another, is a consumer. From eating out or buying groceries to owning a home or vehicle, people buy items and services on a daily basis,.

  The majority of the time those transactions go as they should. But when they don’t, it’s important to have resources available like the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).

  DATCP officials recorded 10,454 new formal written consumer complaints in 2013 — an increase of 4 percent from 2012. It’s probably not a big surprise that the most common complaints on the list relate to telemarketing — particularly telemarketing that violates the state’s No Call List. DATCP officials received 2,014 complaints under this heading in 2013.

  Michelle Reinen, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, said that one of the most common complaints is the Microsoft Tech Support scam. Consumers get calls saying something is wrong with their computers and the “computer tech” says that the company needs to get access to the computer wirelessly to fix it.

  If the consumer falls for the scam and allows them to connect with the computer remotely, the scammers then install malware “that will then read your keystrokes and put viruses on your computer so they can get your personal information,” Reinen explained. “They may even rummage through your files and get information that way.”

  Reinen said that there’s a good rule to follow to know if it’s a legitimate request or not.

  “Microsoft doesn’t place calls to say ‘Hey, there’s something wrong with your computer,’” she said.

  Another way to think about it: If the consumer initiates the call, that’s fine, but if it comes from an alleged company, beware.

  Other common phone scams are medical alert device scams and senior assistance scams. Both of those tend to offer a product or service, demand pre-payment, and then don’t deliver on the offer. Conversely, they might say that it is a free or low-cost service, and then there is a monthly fee attached. While usually delivered by robocalls, Reinen said that the scammers work to make the pitch sound convincing.

  “They made it sound like a live call by having recorded sounds in the background,” she said.

  Violations of the state’s No Call List also fall under this category. DATCP officials look at those complaints from a few different angles. One is whether a telemarketing company is registered with the state to do phone solicitation. If they are registered, then DATCP investigates why the company is calling people who are on the No Call List. When warranted, DATCP takes enforcement action against them.

  There are two possible changes on the horizon for the state’s No Call List. Sandy Chalmers, the administrator of DATCP, explained that there is a bill currently in the state Legislature that would remove the No Call List exemption for political campaigns. Chalmers explained that right now the No Call List applies to groups selling property, goods, or services.

  By that definition, she said, “when you think about it, that excludes calls from political, marketing surveys, and calls from charities.” The new bill would require any group that uses robocalls to register with DATCP, and to honor No Call List enrollments.

  The second possible change would be from a bill making the state No Call List permanen. That bill has already passed both the Assembly and Senate, and now awaits Gov. Scott Walker’s signature.

  Chalmers said that there is strong support for the measure. It passed both houses of the Legislature “without a single vote against.” Currently, registration on the No Call List lasts for two years and then must be renewed. If it is made permanent, it would be in effect for as long as a person had that number.

  Complaints against telecomm companies was number three on the list of top consumer complaints for 2013. Reinen said that most often those complaints were about billing disputes, which included bundling issues, or cramming — “an additional charge showing up on a bill that wasn’t authorized.” Reinen said that the additional charges are often in small amounts.

  Other issues include service and data — which could be related to the promised coverage area, availability, or speed — disputes about the contract, and the availability of channels.

  Consumers can register a complaint online through the DATCP website, or they can call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.