Reverse Solicitation is a marketing technique used by companies to solicit business. The most common example of Reverse Solicitation would be sending customer a check, that can be used as a credit to your account when sent in with your payment, or in some cases, cashed by the customer. The "other" information that comes with the check indicates that doing so will change a service that you may not really want changed.

A good example of this would be a long distance carrier. The check issued to the consumer, when signed and sent in, or cashed, changes your long distance carrier. This practice - REVERSE SOLICITATION unfortunately IS legal at the present time.

This is annoying when it happens to the elderly, who may not fully understand the ramifications of sending in or cashing the check. If this has happened to you, do not despair - you can dispute the charges (oh yes, they do charge you for changing your long distance service from one company to another), and ask to be re-instated with your previous long distance carrier, at no charge to you. It is, however, a long tedious process. Be persistent and patient, and most important: stay calm!

To dispute unwanted charges, consumers should start with the billing agent or provider of service listed on the bill. If these entities do not adequately respond to the dispute and the bill came enclosed with the local telephone bill, customers should contact the local company to ask for dispute resolution. Adequate dispute resolution may include an explanation of the charges, proof of authorization of the charges, and/or removal of the charges from the consumer's bill. If the local company does not resolve the dispute, consumers should then contact the public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC).

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin is the state agency that oversees the telephone industry. Most local and in-state telephone billing and service complaints may be directed to the PSC. Call or write to:

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection mediates and investigates telecommunications complaints, including those regrarding mail and phone solicitation, reverse solicitation, deceptive and misleading marketing, and long distance rate changes. Call or write to:

The Wisconsin Department of Justice enforces state law, including telecommunications. You may contact them by writing to Wisconsin Department of Justice:

Notify your congressman that you want reverse solicitation stopped! We hope that in the near future this practice WILL be illegal. Please inform your friends and relatives that if they receive checks, of any kind in the mail, they should not cash them until first checking with a family member, our office, or someone they feel they can trust.