Identity theft has crept into the state’s top 10 list of consumer complaints, while telemarketing and telecom companies frustrate people the most, according to data released Tuesday by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
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In 2011, there were 1,669 written complaints about telemarketing firms, taking the No. 1 spot on the list of consumer gripes, according to DATCP.
Many of the complaints were about “robo calls,” where an automated service calls to solicit business or personal information such as your credit card number.
“We get a dozen calls a day from people who want this practice stopped,” said Sandy Chalmers, administrator of the consumer protection division of the agriculture department.
Often the calls are difficult to stop because they’re coming from outside the United States.
The best thing to do is simply hang up, Chalmers said.
People who fall for those scams aren’t likely to get their money back, she added.
Grievances against telecom and Internet providers took the No. 2 spot on the state’s list.
Of 1,272 written complaints in that category, 672 were against Wisconsin Rapids-based Element Mobile.
That compares with 185 complaints for AT&T Corp., including its landline, wireless and broadband services, 74 complaints for Verizon Wireless, 63 for Charter Communications, 44 for TracFone, 39 for Century Tel and Century Link, 31 for US Cellular, 30 for Sprint PCS and 28 for T-Mobile USA.
Many of the telecom grievances were about billing issues, with hundreds of allegations that wireless phone companies misrepresented contract terms.
“Either people weren’t paying attention when they signed the contract, or someone misrepresented the terms to them,” Chalmers said.
State officials say they’re close to deciding whether to pursue legal action against Element Mobile, which has been dogged by consumer complaints since early 2011 when it took over an eight-county area previously managed by Alltel Wireless.
Each one of the complaints is being reviewed, according to Chalmers.
Element Mobile did not return a call seeking comment.
Previously the company said it had problems launching the service and that most of the complaints stemmed from the transition from Alltel.
Grievances against the company include poor phone service, billing and contract disputes.
Linda Zillmer of Birchwood said Element Mobile billed her for wireless broadband service even when the company’s signal no longer reached her home.
“It got worse instead of better,” Zillmer said, adding that Element Mobile charged her a $200 termination fee and sent her account to a collection agency after she refused to pay for poor service.
Identity theft was No. 5 on the consumer complaint list, marking the first time it made the top 10.
Some of the theft was tied to telephone scams aimed at getting bank account numbers or other information that could be used to tap someone’s finances.
“Once they have that, it’s golden,” Chalmers said.
The consumer protection division has nine investigators to handle a wide range of complaints, including the telecom industry, landlord-tenant grievances and telemarketing scams. That’s down from 15 five years ago.
Chalmers said the division wants to improve its consumer complaint tracking system, a move that would cost about $1 million.
Years ago, critics say, the agency had a bigger staff and was more aggressive in pursuing consumer complaints. Back then, the Department of Justice also had attorneys who specialized in consumer protection cases.
