The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau approved new rules effective November 30, 2021, which affect how Debt Collection Companies may contact consumers. Debtor Collectors can now contact you about unpaid debts on Social Media as well as via email and text message.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Debt Collectors can now attempt to join your Social Media network by sending you a friend request. However, they must identify themselves as Debt Collectors when contacting you on Social Media. Debtor Collectors also must give you the option to opt out from being contacted via Social Media. Lastly, they can only send private messages to you. Debtor Collectors cannot post on your Social Media page if others can see the message.
EMAIL AND TEXT
Debt Collection Companies can also try to collect on unpaid debts by texting or emailing you about them. Again, they must give you the option to opt out from being contacted by email or text message.
Your work email, however, is off limits. Debtor Collectors may not email you at work if they know it is a work email, you did not previously consent to such contact, and you did not previously communicate with the Debtor Collector via work email.
RISKS
Consumers risk missing important information about a debt under the new rules. We do not all check Social Media regularly. Some people do not have regular access to the internet. Lastly, the new rules provide a new opportunity for criminals to scam people out of money.
TELEPHONE CALL LIMIT
The new rules did introduce a limit on debt collection calls for the first time. Debtor Collectors may call you only seven times a week about a particular account. They also must wait seven days after talking with you about a debt before calling again about it.
These limits apply per account in collection. If you have multiple accounts in collection, then expect more than seven telephone calls per week. In addition, the telephone call limit does not apply to text, email and Social Media contact.
