MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection resolved over 11,000 consumer complaints last year.
That work returned over $11.1 million to Wisconsinites.
On Monday, the DATCP released its top ten complaint categories for 2021.
10. Entertainment and Recreation (140 complaints)
DATCP resolved several settlements stemming from rescheduled or canceled events last year. These include a $635,500 settlement with Voyageurs International, Ltd. over the company’s canceled 2020 European Tour, and a settlement with StubHub to issue refunds to over 8,600 Wisconsinites whose events were canceled.
DATCP said it received 141 fewer complaints in this category than in 2020.
9. Motor Vehicle Accessories and Parts (180 complaints)
Concerns surrounding motor vehicles appeared in the top ten for the first time, DATCP officials said, part of a rising trend. These complaints include delivery failure, misleading representations, and poor refund policies.
8. Motor Vehicle Sales (194 complaints)
Sticking with the theme of motor vehicles, the DATCP saw multiple reports regarding misleading representations and inadequate disclosures last year.
7. Motor Vehicle Repair (218 complaints)
Rounding off the motor vehicle problems, DATCP officials said most complaints stemmed from poor services, damage, and a failure to honor warranties.
6. Medical Service (273 complaints)
DATCP officials said the top complaints in this category were in regards to billing disputes, poor services, and misleading representations.
5. Telecommunications (573 complaints)
This category is an ongoing concern from people across the state, officials said. However, it dropped two places in the rankings this year compared to 2020. Issues include billing disputes, misleading advertisements, and termination of services.
4. Home Improvement (580 complaints)
The top complaints in this category included lien waivers, failure to complete service, billing disputes, and workmanship issues.
3. Identity Theft (1,550 complaints)
Identity theft is increasing nationwide, and Wisconsin is no different. This category rose up in the rankings by one spot compared to 2020. Officials said they are putting emphasis on education and prevention to stop fraud before it starts.
2. Landlord-Tenant (1,678 complaints)
Landlord-Tenant complaints were the No. 2-ranked concern in 2020 and remained so in 2021. The DATCP’s rental resources site was visited over 100,000 times last year.
1. Telemarketing (2,765 complaints)
Telemarketing is the most complained about topic in Wisconsin, according to the DATCP. However, complaints have dropped for the third year in a row. Common concerns include imposter scams, robocalls, and ‘Do Not Call List’ violations.
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