When the phone rings at your home this time of year, you want it to be a friend or family member calling with holiday plans to share…not a telemarketer trying to sell you something. Unfortunately, unscrupulous telemarketers don’t give consumers a seasonal break. To limit telemarketing calls during future holidays, you should register or re-register your phone number on the Wisconsin No Call List before the next quarterly deadline on Nov. 30.

The free no call service, offered through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), covers residential land and cell phone lines. Consumers must register every two years to remain active on the list.

To add your residential landline, cell phone or VoIP number(s) to the list, visit http://nocall.wisconsin.gov or dial 1-866-9NO-CALL (1-866-966-2255). The website and toll-free number are available all day, every day.

Wisconsin residents who add their numbers to the list by that date will receive protection from unsolicited telemarketing phone calls and text messages starting on Jan. 1.

The list is updated four times per calendar year (Jan. 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct. 1). The registration process is continuous, but those who sign up after the upcoming Nov. 30 deadline will not be added to the list until April 1.

Political calls, calls from non-profit organizations and calls made in response to your written or verbal request or permission are not covered by the No Call law. Additional information is at nocall.wisconsin.gov.

For more information on the program or to file a consumer complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.