By Samantha Paul A disputed security deposit, an unexpected auto-repair bill, and repeated telemarketing calls may all raise consumer-protection questions in Wisconsin. Yet sending each dispute to the Attorney General’s Office is usually not the quickest way to reach the officials who accept consumer complaints. Wisconsin divides this work between the Department of Justice and a separate state consumer agency, and choosing the correct office matters.
For most household purchases and business disputes, the starting point is the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), not a lawsuit request to the Attorney General. This guide distinguishes the two, identifies the current attorney general, and provides the phone numbers, forms, addresses, and follow-up steps consumers actually need.
Who Is the Current Attorney General of Wisconsin?
As of October 15, 2026, Josh Kaul is Wisconsin’s Attorney General. He took office in January 2019 and was reelected in 2022. The Attorney General leads the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), which represents state interests, handles legal and law-enforcement work, and participates in consumer-protection litigation.
The key distinction is administrative: Wisconsin DOJ says its Consumer Protection and Antitrust team primarily litigates cases referred by other state agencies. DATCP is the state’s primary consumer-protection agency and receives many first-instance reports about retailers, contractors, identity theft, landlords, telemarketing, and other routine business practices.
Wisconsin Attorney General Contact Numbers
- Wisconsin DOJ main office: 608-266-1221 — general Department of Justice and Attorney General contact.
- Wisconsin DOJ Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-800-998-0700 — questions about matters or cases handled by DOJ.
- Wisconsin DOJ consumer-protection local number: 608-266-1852 — alternative case-related contact.
- DATCP Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-800-422-7128 — the primary number for everyday consumer complaints.
- DATCP consumer email: DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov — consumer questions and help finding the right form.
DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline lists hours of Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except state holidays. Official DATCP form directory: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/FileConsumerComplaint.aspx
Wisconsin Attorney General Office Address
- Attorney General / Wisconsin DOJ: 17 W. Main Street, Madison, WI 53703; mailing address P.O. Box 7857, Madison, WI 53707-7857.
- DATCP Bureau of Consumer Protection: Prairie Oaks State Office Building, 2811 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53718.
- Mail ordinary consumer complaints to: DATCP Bureau of Consumer Protection, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911.
Do not mail an ordinary store, repair, or landlord-tenant consumer complaint to the DOJ simply because the article is about the Attorney General. The DATCP mailing address above is the one printed on its consumer complaint instructions.
How to File a Complaint in Wisconsin
Step 1: Start with DATCP’s official complaint page
Visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/FileConsumerComplaint.aspx. DATCP offers a general complaint and separate forms for landlord-tenant matters, home improvement, identity theft, motor-vehicle repairs, telemarketing, door-to-door sales, telecommunications, and product safety. Choose the form that best describes your issue instead of defaulting to the DOJ.
Step 2: Ask the business to resolve the issue first
DATCP recommends contacting the seller or service provider, and then a manager or owner if necessary. State exactly what went wrong and ask for a specific, reasonable result: a corrected bill, repair, refund, or replacement. Keep records of whom you contacted, the date, and any deadline the business offered.
Step 3: Prepare a documented account of the transaction
Give the business name and contact details, purchase date and location, amount paid, and a clear description of the disputed event. Attach copies of sales receipts, repair orders, leases, contracts, advertisements, warranties, emails, and relevant payment records. Do not send originals. If the matter involves a particular transaction, identify the item or service without disclosing entire financial account numbers.
Step 4: Submit online or use a mailed complaint form
DATCP allows online complaints and downloadable forms for mailing. Choose the relevant online category, follow the prompts, and keep a copy of the submission. If using paper, download or request the relevant form through the Consumer Protection Hotline, complete it, and mail it with document copies to P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911. DATCP also explains that written complaints can be accepted through other contact methods; confirm instructions before emailing sensitive attachments.
Step 5: Retain the file number and note public-records rules
DATCP says a submitted complaint is entered into its database and assigned a file number; include that number in future correspondence. Wisconsin’s Public Records Law may apply to complaint materials, subject to legal exemptions and confidentiality protections. Remove information that is not essential to explaining the transaction, and store your original records separately.
What Happens After You File a Complaint?
DATCP reports that it typically contacts complainants within about one week after reviewing a new submission. Staff ordinarily approach the business and seek its response. When the business replies, the agency informs the consumer in writing. If the matter belongs with another regulator, DATCP may forward it and explain the referral.
This is an administrative effort to resolve a dispute, not a promise of reimbursement: DATCP cannot force a seller to agree. Broader state enforcement may involve referrals to DOJ, but an ordinary complaint does not automatically trigger litigation. Consumers facing a chargeback window, eviction issue, or filing deadline should also use the appropriate independent remedies promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I file a landlord-tenant complaint with Attorney General Josh Kaul?
DATCP is normally the better initial channel for a Wisconsin landlord-tenant consumer complaint. Its filing page has a dedicated form for that subject. Urgent possession or eviction questions may require legal advice or court help rather than an administrative complaint alone.
Q. Can DATCP accept a complaint about a business outside Wisconsin?
Yes. DATCP says Wisconsin residents may submit complaints about businesses inside or outside the state. People who live elsewhere may also complain when their issue involves a Wisconsin business. Supply a complete address or other identifying information for the seller.
Q. How soon does DATCP normally contact a complainant?
DATCP says staff typically contact the consumer within one week after reviewing a complaint. That is not a guaranteed deadline for a business response or final resolution, which depends on the facts and whether the seller cooperates.
Q. Can a Wisconsin consumer complaint become a public record?
Potentially. DATCP expressly warns that complaints are not automatically confidential and may be requested under Wisconsin public-records law. The department withholds protected information where law permits, but consumers should not assume every detail or attachment will remain private.