{"id":377355,"date":"2016-03-31T21:37:24","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/wisconsin-law\/wisconsin-telemarketing-fraud-laws.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T19:48:50","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T00:48:50","slug":"wisconsin-telemarketing-fraud-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/wisconsin-law\/wisconsin-telemarketing-fraud-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin Telemarketing Fraud Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Wisconsin Telemarketing Fraud Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last reviewed\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Telemarketing fraud is illegal in Wisconsin. For cases that occur within the state, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection<\/a> and Department of Justice Consumer Protection and Antitrust Unit investigate and prosecute this crime. However, as telemarketing fraud<\/a> often crosses state borders, it’s typically a federal crime that is investigated and prosecuted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).<\/p>\n

Protecting Yourself from Telemarketing Fraud<\/h2>\n

Educate yourself about telemarketing fraud and take these preventative steps<\/a> to protect yourself from telemarketing fraud.<\/p>\n

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  1. Sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry online<\/a> or verify your phone is on the registry by calling 1-888-382-1222 from that phone<\/li>\n
  2. File a complaint against Telemarketers or Do Not Call list violators online<\/a> or contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.<\/li>\n
  3. Don’t give out any personal information to telemarketers (Social Security Number, bank account numbers, name of your spouse or pets, etc).<\/li>\n
  4. Don’t rush into over-the-phone purchases, for example, because the caller says the offer will "expire" or you "must act now.\u201d If a caller pressures you to buy anything, just hang up.<\/li>\n
  5. If a caller asks you to send money by check or a wire transfer over the phone, be extremely wary and hang up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Wisconsin Telemarketing Fraud Laws: Statutes<\/h2>\n

    Wisconsin’s telemarketing laws are outlined below.<\/p>\n\n

    Code Sections<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    Wisconsin Administrative Code: Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (ATCP) Chapter 127 – Direct Marketing: Telephone Solicitations<\/a> and Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 100 – Marketing & Trade Practices<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

    What Is Prohibited?<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    The Wisconsin Telemarketing Sales Rule<\/a> covers most telephone solicitations to Wisconsin consumers, no matter where the call originates. The rule includes all of the following<\/a>:<\/p>\n

    Penalty<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    Telemarketing law violators can be fined between $25 and $5,000 for each offense<\/a> and jailed for a year. The state can seek an injunction to stop the actions and bring a civil forfeiture action for $100 to $10,000 for each violation of the law or injunction.<\/p>\n

    In addition, anyone who suffered a financial loss because of telemarketers’ bad acts can sue them in civil court for damages to recover twice the amount of his or her loss, court costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.<\/p>\n

    Getting, selling, or receiving phone records without the number owner’s consent is a Class I felony for one telephone record, a Class G felony for 2-9 records, or a Class E felony for more than 10 phone records. The court can order a violator to pay the victim for his or her financial loss suffered because of the violation, or $1,000, whichever is greater. The penalties by felony class are: Class I – at most 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine<\/a>, Class G – at most 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine, and Class E felony – at most 15 years in prison and a of $50,000 fine.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n

    If you or a loved one is facing a telemarketing fraud charge, you should contact an experienced Wisconsin criminal defense attorney<\/a> or a public defender<\/a>, if assigned by the court, for help.<\/p>\n

    Note:<\/i><\/b> State laws change regularly — it’s important to<\/i> verify the laws you’re researching<\/i>.<\/p>\n

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