What do you use social media for? Maybe you like to see what your family and friends are doing? Perhaps you want to catch up with old friends that you haven’t seen in a while? A great deal of people are on social media for entertainment purposes. Others are social media to voice their opinions on things. Nobody is on social media in order to be contacted by debt collectors. Up until recently debt collectors were not allowed to contact people on social media, but that has changed. A new law gives debt collectors the right to contact consumers, who them debt, on social media sites.
This is incredibly unfortunate because a great deal of people use social media as a means to escape the everyday world. Debt collectors can already invade your home and place of work through the phone and the mail system. Now they will be able to get to you through the Internet. It just doesn’t seem fair, but it is something that you will not need to deal with. That being stated, debt collectors are not allowed to harass you whether they contact you on social media, on the phone, or through the mail. That means they cannot treat you like a piece of garbage.
You need to know that some debt collectors will do anything in order to collect the debt that you owe them. Do you know why? It is how they make a living and put food on their table. However, it doesn’t make it right or acceptable when they break the law when attempting to collect a debt. For example, if a debt collector threatens you in any way they are breaking the law. Here are a few threats that debt collectors may use in order to attempt to collect a debt. They are all considered to be debt harassment.
- If you don’t pay your debt we will have you arrested
- If you don’t pay your debt we will garnish your wages
- If you don’t pay your debt we tell your boss, family, friends, and neighbor that you’re a deadbeat.
- If you don’t pay your debt we will have your children taken away
- If you don’t pay your debt we will physically hurt you
It is incredibly important for you to know your consumer rights when you are being threatened by a debt collector. First and foremost, debt collectors do not have the power to have you arrested, garnish you wages, or take your children away from you. If they make these threats they are participating in debt harassment. If a debt collector contacts your boss, family, friends, and or neighbors and tells them that you owe a debt they are breaking the debt harassment law. If a debt collector threatens you in any physical manner they are breaking the law and they can actually be arrested.
You need to keep in mind that some underhanded debt collectors will make these empty threats because they are trying to scare you into paying them the money. These tactics work on people who do not know that they are empty and illegal threats. Debt collectors know that you are under a lot of stress and they use this to their advantage. The bottom line is they are trying to break you so that you will pay your debt so they can receive their paycheck. Do not let them get away with this. There are many things that you can do in order to stop the debt harassment.
There are also things you can do to stop the phone calls, and to stop debt collectors from contacting you on social media and through the mail even if they are not participating in debt harassment. You may owe the debt, but you do have rights. That means that any debt collector needs to treat you with both dignity and respect when contacting you in order to attempt to collect a debt. You should always try to pay your debts, but if you are currently in a financial position where it comes down to providing your family with food and shelter or paying off the debt, you obviously need to choose food and shelter.
Sometimes debt collectors simply do not care. They would rather see you starve or live on the street as long as you pay them what you owe. It may not be fair, but it is true. If you need help with debt harassment and other debt related issues, please contact your Legal Rights Advocates today.
(855) 254-7841
