Could those friend requests be from debt collectors?

This is very interesting. If you are not sure about that friend request or that person following you on twitter, do some research. The best way to deal with the debt collector is to of course, pay your bills. But I don't think they should be 'sneaking' around trying to find people.

Is the latest person following you on Twitter or friending you on Facebook actually a debt collector in disguise?

That could very well be the case if you're behind on your bills.

As debt collectors step up their efforts to collect money, the social media landscape is becoming the latest battleground in the war between cash-strapped consumers and persistent creditors.

At issue are several murky legal questions, such as: When is it acceptable for debt collectors to track someone down or contact him or her through social networking sites, including Facebook or MySpace? And how much information, if any, can a debt collector reveal about a debtor to that person's online friends and social networking acquaintances?

Some debt collectors have reportedly harassed people on Facebook, trying to get them to pay debts that were supposedly owed. Other creditors and third-party debt collectors have allegedly contacted consumers' friends and family members online in an attempt to embarrass the debtors. All these actions are illegal and prohibited by the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

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