Hmm, whoever is saying that is indeed saying that they intend to write back to you when they've checked that programme. Just as you said, they'll get back to you It's not about replying besides the point, as you, or rather the Wiktionary, have put it. I can't even think of an example where that definition would be true. The closest I can think of is like when you write something to someone with the sole intention of appeasing them, by that I mean like when a boss wants a report from you and you just make something up that's good enough for him or her to shut up and not bother you anymore. There's also a noun that has this meaning, "отписка." For example, the support staff of various companies has a lot of "standard отписка" ready for their customers