State consumer protection officials say four companies have agreed to pay a total of $136,000 to settle allegations that they called people who had registered on Wisconsin’s Do Not Call List for telemarketers.
The state Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says that First Midwest Mortgage Company of Madison paid $75,000, Universal Windows Direct of West Allis paid $30,000, and Easy Mortgage of Madison paid just over $31,000. Officials said all three firms never registered as telemarketers as required under the no-call law.
The fourth company, Creative Openings of Kaukauna, lost its state telemarketing license. They were also fined $4,500 dollars last May for not registering as a telemarketer and calling over a million consumers anyway. The state said the company did not comply with the law after being told about 89 complaints over the past decade.
Division of Consumer Protection administrator Sandy Chalmers says those who take the time to register on the no-call list expect relief from sales pitches. She says the fines also show that it’s a good idea to let her agency know about violations so they can actively enforce the law.
Legislators recently voted to drop the state’s list and let people sign-up on the national no-call list instead. Supporters argue the move will give the state more resources to go after violators.
