DATCP logo
” data-image-caption=”
DATCP logo
” data-medium-file=”https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DATCP20logo-300×300.png” data-large-file=”https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DATCP20logo-e1681741921847-1024×1024.png”>
In 2025, DATCP received thousands of written complaints from Wisconsin consumers. DATCP’s Bureau of Consumer Protection has run the numbers, ranked last year’s top complaint categories. This includes one that has ranked among the top ten for the first time. It found complaints up overall since 2024.
Complaint counts increased in most of the top categories, and a new category has risen to the tenth spot. However, there were other complaint categories that did not make the ‘top ten’ list but remain noteworthy. Most also receiving an increase in complaints in 2025. At thirteenth, the category ‘Computers and Computer Equipment’ received 103 written complaints. Although 1,185 phone calls to the Consumer Protection Hotline – the third highest call category. The categories ‘Entertainment and Recreation’ and ‘Motor Vehicle Accessories/Parts’ received 147 and 101 complaints respectively. They have both ranked among the top ten categories in past years. ‘Gas Pump Accuracy’ also received 101 complaints in 2025. Additional categories of note were ‘Extended Warranties’ (107 complaints), ‘Timeshares and Resellers’ (95 complaints), and ‘Manufactured Housing and Housing Communities’ (90 complaints, doubling since 2024).
DATCP Involvement
What do all these categories have in common? DATCP is responsible for enforcing consumer protection regulations that span a variety of issues. Consumers can handle many of their own problems with a business. Sometimes no amount of education, preparation, or persistence is enough to reach a solution. When that happens, DATCP’s Consumer Protection team is available to help.
DATCP’s involvement makes a difference. In 2025, numerous home improvement contractors who allegedly violated Wisconsin law faced jail time, probation, and had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in restitutions and forfeitures. DATCP reached a $450,000 settlement with a telecommunications provider. This was to resolve allegations that they misrepresented the monthly price of their internet services. One mediation effort saved a consumer $85,000 on a medical procedure.
Top 10 Complaints
1. Landlord-Tenant Issues: 2,620 complaints
Landlord-Tenant has remained the number one complaint since 2022. Last year, the Consumer Protection Hotline received 5,220 phone calls about this issue, thousands more than any other category. Common issues included failure to maintain the premises, security deposit returns, eviction, unauthorized entry, mold, infestation, inadequate disclosures, and unsatisfactory service.
2. Telemarketing: 1,283 complaints
Commonly reported issues in this category included phishing and spoofing, imposter scams, robocalls, harassment, and violations of the Do Not Call Registry.
3. Home Improvement: 641 complaints
Commonly reported home improvement issues concerned quality of work, charges for services/repairs that were not performed, delays in performance, failure to provide services and materials, failure to honor warranties, deceptive and misleading representations, and failure to disclose lien rights.
4. Telecommunications: 633 complaints
This category saw an increase in complaints and rose from fifth place in 2024 to fourth place. Consumers reported issues about billing disputes, customer dissatisfaction, cancelation denials, service disconnections/terminations, deceptive and misleading representations, agreed-upon terms not being followed, and refund and adjustment policies.
5. Identity Theft: 468 complaints
Many of these reports involved takeovers of online accounts like social media profiles or financial accounts, with additional issues including fraud, data breaches, and compromised identification documents.
6. Medical Services: 456 complaints
The top issue in this category was medical billing disputes. Others included misleading representations and unsatisfactory service.
7. Motor Vehicle Repair: 445 complaints
Complaints in this category increased significantly in 2025 compared to the previous year – by more than 100 complaints – with top issues including unsatisfactory quality of work, damage and loss of property, failure to honor agreements or perform work, performance delays, untrue or misleading advertisements, charges above estimates, charges for work not performed, and unauthorized service.
8. Motor Vehicle Sales: 380 complaints
The most common issues cited in these complaints were inadequate disclosures, prize notice mailers, and untrue, deceptive, and misleading representations. DATCP’s primary responsibility in this category is advertising and marketing, and the agency works closely with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to protect new and used vehicle buyers.
9. Travel: 219 complaints
The travel category covers a wide range of issues such as airlines, hotels and lodging, auto rentals, and travel service bundles, with common consumer complaints including billing disputes, refund and adjustment policies, charges above estimates, failure to provide services, failure to return deposits, and unsatisfactory service.
10. Major Appliances: 158 complaints
DATCP’s number ten consumer complaint category of 2025 is new to the top ten list. Top issues in this category included defective products, billing disputes, refund/adjustment policies, failure to honor agreements, and untrue, deceptive, and misleading representations. A number of these complaints were filed after one relevant business closed on short notice, leaving many of its customers with questions and concerns.
