Will debt collectors look for you on Facebook?

Social media has become such an indispensible part of our society that major retailers have active and robust presences on Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram. It is not surprising to get texts from retailers reminding us about sales or alerting us to special offers. Further, it is not uncommon for them to ask you to “friend” them on Facebook or ask you to follow them on Twitter.

Because so many consumers accept these invitations, as well as invitations from strangers they are suggested to friend, debt collection companies have gotten into the act. 

Indeed, debt collectors are not allowed to use social media venues to broadcast your debt obligations or tell friends and relatives about debts you haven’t paid. But this may not stop unscrupulous debt collectors from gathering information about you through social media and following your spending habits. To protect yourself against unwanted attention from debt collectors, there are a number of things you can do. This post will highlight a few.

Use your privacy settings – Everyone (including debt collectors) can see your what you post, pictures you upload and profile if you stick with the standard public profile. To protect yourself, you can change your privacy setting to reduce the chance that debt collectors can follow you.

Be mindful about what you post – It is common for social media profiles to include personal information about yourself. After all, this information helps people you want to know to find you. However, debt collectors may be using the same information. So be mindful about what you post; both in your profile and on your timeline.