Facebook debt ban No hounding of borrowers, collectors told

DEBT collectors were yesterday banned from hounding people on Facebook and Twitter.

The Office of Fair Trading said the practice caused "stress and embarrassment" because other people can read about borrowers' money problems.

A spokesman said: "It's unfair and improper and it makes that private correspondence public."
The OFT said contacting debtors through social networking sites was a new take on the old method of placing a postcard through a letterbox.

Updated guidelines to debt firms also forbid them contacting people when they are patients in hospital or at other unreasonable times or inappropriate locations.

Only a "handful" of complaints about being chased for debts through social networking sites have so far been received, said the regulator.   More