How Should The Debt Collectors Use Social Media To Contact The Clients?
How do businesses speculate the moment their debts go to collections? It is indeed stressful for every business. Even greater hassle is that most debtors do not know their rights when the debt collection agencies call. Besides, phone calls, the collection agency can also use social media to contact the debtors.
The commercial collection agency you hire needs to comply with the FDCPA laws when collecting debts from customers. Here are a few communication protocols that the agency should follow when contacting the debtors.
- The collectors can contact the customers by phone only as long as they call during the stipulated time mentioned in the law books.
- If the agency fails to reach the business owner, they may communicate with the employees to know the whereabouts of the individual.
- They may contact the business by email and send it to the right address. The debt collection emails need to be sent to the right destination and never to personal email addresses.
How To Use Social Media To Contact The Debtors?
The collection agency services must remember their capacity and the tactics used when contacting the debtors through their social media profiles. Based on FDCPA, collectors must avoid using social media to contact borrowers, their families, and friends when connecting with the social media accounts of the business. Here is how they need to stay on the right track while using social media appropriately.
Alternate The Email Search
When contacting a business or its owner through Facebook, chances are that you may come across similar names in the search results. You must not target a person or a business mistakenly as it will hurt the reputation of the company for which you are tracking down the borrower. Why don’t you stop searching for businesses by name and target them with an email search option on Facebook? Agencies with a vague knowledge of social media need to brush up on their basic knowledge about the functioning of various platforms. Remember that the debtor may also spend hours finding out how to stay safe when they are stalked by the collection agencies. So, don’t burn the bridges at both ends as it will reduce the chances of success.
No Deception Only Disclosure
Business debt collection agencies are prohibited from contacting customers on social media in a way to harass or embarrass them. Accordingly, the attempts made to deceive consumers with texts or messages in an unlawful manner are considered deceptive under FDCPA. Given that most companies today have a solid presence on various social media platforms, refraining from deception is necessary. While searching for a commercial collection agency in Houston that refrains from deceptive practices and legal standards, you are sure to come across Nelson, Cooper & Ortiz, LLCwhich has been delivering the best services to businesses within designated time frames. When looking for a commercial collection agency offering quality services in Houston, they have the right set of professionals to cater to your needs.
Revealing Information Without Permission
Collecting debt is right but publishing false information about the debtors or using profane language to contact them is also prohibited. Commenting or posting on the business page of the debtor or the debt are things to skip. Besides, the messages sent on social media should in no way harass or threaten the client. Finally, the professional contacting the clients on behalf of the collection agency should in no way pose as persons trying to contact the debtor or someone from the company for befriending.
It is necessary to stick to language and methods that are coherent and logical when contacting customers over social media. Unfortunately, most agencies fail to read the privacy statements of the social media platforms and leave a lot for public exposure, such as photographs, or business information that needs to stay confidential. Choose the best commercial collection agency to avoid such hastened acts of revelation.
Using text messages or accessing social media accounts to contact customers is like encroaching on a tricky territory. The debt collectors must remain transparent and never leave a message, post or tweet, or content that violates the norms of FDCPA. The message sent to the client must verify the collection agency as the sender. Not every commercial collection agency involves in fraudulent methods or deceives clients. Pick those agencies that are familiar with lawful methods of debt collection and debt recovery services to retain relationships with the debtors while collecting the amount.
Summary:
Using social media to contact debtors is a permissible act only when the agencies stick to lawful tactics. Find out how the collectors should contact the debtors over social media.