Whether departments within a company or outsourced collection agencies, debt collectors use any means they can to track you down and seek out repayment. These days, that includes social media channels. As a debtor, you have rights. Regardless of how creditors contact you, the law prohibits collectors from harassing debtors and making false statements concerning debt, among other behaviors.
Debt Collectors Using Social Media
Any information you post in the public domain is fair game for anyone, including debt collectors. It’s important to protect yourself by limiting the amount of information you post. Don’t post pictures of the pool you just built in your backyard if you’ve told a creditor you can’t pay your bills.
Yet even if your account privacy settings are enabled, chances are you still have a public profile listing your city. From there, creditors can look up your complete address to contact you.
Where Debt Collectors Cross the Line
However, many collectors are now breaking the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by directly messaging debtors, commenting on posts and posting on their walls. This violates the clause about publishing information concerning debt. Because false statements are illegal, it’s also a violation to pose as a friend or family member in order to contact you or gain access to your information.
The Law Office of Larry Karandreas has over 22 years of experience working in bankruptcy law in the state of Arizona. If you feel a creditor has violated your rights as a debtor on or offline, please contact us.