Many of us post tidbits of our lives on social media on a regular basis. Social media accounts are a popular outlet where we can share our experiences, opinions and moods.
But social media use can turn from fun to distressing if you are behind on your bills and a debt collector is trying to contact you. Are debt collectors allowed to contact you on social media?
Can debt collectors contact me on social media?
The short answer is, yes, debt collectors can try to contact you on social media to discuss your debt. However, there are limits.
First, debt collectors must keep this contact private, meaning it cannot be viewed by your followers or the public. Not only does this apply to timelines but it also includes your profile page.
Second, debt collectors cannot contact you anonymously on social media. If they ask you to friend them or contact them, they must state clearly that they are a debt collector. This allows you to make informed decisions on whether you wish to communicate with them this way.
Finally, you have the right to ask them to stop contacting you on social media. Debt collectors must provide you with a way to stop communications with them over social media.
Know your rights as a debtor
Being contacted by a debt collector, whether it is over social media, through a phone call or via a letter in the mail, is understandably stressful. You still have rights, however, regarding how a debt collector can contact you and what they can say to you.
The law requires debt collectors to identify themselves as debt collectors and to say who they are collecting the debt on behalf of. They must let you know how much you owe, and they must let you know how to dispute the debt if you disagree with it. They also must stop contacting you to try to collect on the debt if you ask them to do so.
Knowing your rights is the first step in the battle against debt collector harassment. If you have an attorney, you can have them work with your debt collectors so you can avoid harassing and distressing communications with your debt collectors.