Debt collectors taking to social media

November 22, 2010|by Omar Villafranca | NBC News

DALLAS — Friends, family, celebrities and even politicians use social networking sites to connect with people, but someone else could be peering at your profile: debt collectors.

Social media sites are a great way for people to get a glimpse into someone's life.

“They typically want to follow on social media people that are fascinating, people that are interesting, people that are celebrities," says attorney Clinton David.

But David says more debt collectors are using Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to get a glimpse into the finances of people that owe money.

“If you are claiming poverty to debt collectors and at the same time, you post a picture of your new boat on your Facebook page, you deserve what you get," David said.

So if you plan on taking a picture next to a fancy car and posting it on your social networking site. Legal experts say you’d better think again.

“What you don't want to put on there is specific information, say, about your new vacation home or something along the lines of your job, your new promotion and bragging about your bonus," David said.

He says there's a gray area in the law when it comes to what debt collectors can do on social media. But there certainly are things that are off limits.

“You cannot harass a prospect to collect a debt. There are hours that you can't call, early in the morning or late at night. You can't make repetitive calls,” David said.

Until the law is clear, attorneys say those in debt shouldn't brag online about money.

"This is a new and different phase we're moving into in the art of debt collection," he said.

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