The CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) now allows debt collectors to contact you on social media.
Why this is bad for consumers
Unethical debt collectors
It’s now unknown how debt collectors can contact you on social media. It’s unknown if they have to send you a private message or (hopefully not) if they can post a public message on your social media feed or contact someone from your ‘friends’ list. But, if unethical debt collectors stay true to form, they will violate the rules and use unscrupulous methods to connect with their debtors. Debt collectors are sure to threaten to contact friends of the people whom they’re trying to collect payment. And, some will follow through on the threat to embarrass the debtors.
Consumers are at risk of being scammed and/or getting personal info
It’s not just debt collectors that may cause problems for consumers. Once consumers are aware that debt collectors are allowed to contact them on social media, scammers are certain to take advantage of this and inbox consumers about their (non-existent) debt.
Protect yourself from online debt collectors and scammers posing as debt collectors
If you have bad debts and prefer to not have debt collectors contact you through social media, there are a lot of drastic measures that you can take to prevent them from contacting you through your social media accounts.
Don’t include your real name in your social media username
This makes it extremely easy for debt collectors to contact you. If your real name is already in your username, you may be able to change your username. But, depending on how the social media site or app handles username requests, changing your social media username may be a futile attempt at dodging debt collectors. This is because your username and posts may still be in search engines. A determined debt collector may be able to locate your new account.
Keep your profile private
Even before debt collectors could legally contact you on social media, it was always a good idea to keep your profile private and away from the eyes of scammers and potential employers.
Screen friend requests and other requests to view your profile
Screen friend requests. Be sure that you know the person that you accept to view your private profile. If you’re someone who typically accepts friends requests from anyone, this could weaken your chances of keeping debt collectors away as they could be one of the people that you approve to see your profile.
Be wary of links in messages on social media
As always, you should be cautious about the links that you click online, especially if they’re from someone that you don’t know. But, even then, many people have been the victim of hacking, which resulted in hackers/scammers gaining access to their social media messaging system and sending messages to their social media friends. So, before clicking on links, hover over them to ensure that it’s a safe link. If you’re unsure of the link, try researching the link through a search engine.
If you’re still unsure of the legitimacy of the link or message that you received, use a different method (like phone, email, or another social media account) to contact the person who supposedly sent the message and ask them if the message and link were truly sent by them.
Don’t divulge personal info without confirming who you’re speaking to
Your social media account settings may allow people that you’re not friends with to message you. As always, if you receive a message from someone whose identity you can’t confirm, don’t divulge any personal information, including your name or any location info without confirming who you’re speaking with. If you don’t know them, don’t provide this info at all.
If all else fails, delete your account
This is by far the most drastic measure, but it’s the most promising way to avoid debt collectors on social media. To make the process easier, contact people who you wish to stay in contact with and provide them with your new social media account. Be sure that your new username does not contain any reference to your old username or your real name.
How to file complaints about unethical debt collectors
File a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). You can reach them by phone, or email.
Online:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint
Phone:
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays).
More than 180 languages available.
855-411-2372
TTY/TTD (for consumers who are deaf, have hearing loss, or have speech disabilities through): 855-729-2372
The CFPB will forward your complaint to the credit bureau electronically or by mail. Most companies that receive from The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau respond within 15 days. The 15-day response time is for all companies and industries that the CFPB submits complaints too, not just debt collection agencies. The suggested response time is 60 days and the CFPB will give the collection agency more time to respond if needed.
Are you afraid to file a complaint because you don’t want the collections agency to have your real address or other personal info? The CFPB does ask for personal details, like your phone number, when assisting with certain complaints. Fortunately, for debt collection complaints, you’re encouraged not to provide any personal info. This is presumably to protect you from someone posing as a debt collector. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau does state that it may ask your for additional info at a later point, though. If you’re still uncomfortable providing your personal info, which may confirm that you were the person that the debt collector reached on social media, explain that to the CFPB and they should be able to let you know your options. But, at this point, the collections agency, if they wanted to, could link the social media interaction that they had with you to your subsequent complaint.
You do have the option of asking that the debt collector not contact you again through social media, though, but you would be confirming your social media identity. If your debt is sold to another company, the new collections agency could contact you at the same social media account.
You’re still strongly encouraged to file a complaint, which will help The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau track trends in complaints filed about the collections agency and take action if needed.