Facebook: a debt collector’s new weapon

If you are a regular user of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, then beware. Debt collectors are now using this as a tool to get in touch with and in some cases, humiliate those you are in debt. In October, 2011 the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) issued a warning after receiving numerous complaints regarding some debt collecting agencies’ aggressive behavior and bullying of those Facebook users who owed money.

The Fair Debt Collectors Practices Act, which came into effect in 1978 does not explicitly prevent debt collectors from posting on your wall or asking your relatives about your whereabouts but the OFT has deemed any activity used by a debt collector, whether on social media or otherwise that will either deliberately or negligently embarrass a person could result in serious action against the debt collector.

You can protect yourself by adjusting your privacy setting and never accepting a friend request from anyone you don’t know, debt collectors often set up bogus profiles. Don’t engage in any contact with a debt collection on social media. Some agencies are able to track you down on some social media sites with your emails address, so refrain from giving this out to them and only correspond with them by letter.