Heads Up: Debt Collectors Can Now Slide into Your DMs

Debt Collectors are now permitted to contact you in a new way which is just another example of the changing of the times.

Chances are, you have had someone trying to slide into your DMs on social media to attempt to hit on you and shoot their shot. Nine times out of ten, you don't respond to the creepy person at the other end of that message. Or, perhaps you were one of those people who likes to slide into random people's DMs that you don't know in an attempt to try to "score" with someone you're attracted to. These attempts rarely work and they can become annoying after a while (that's a conversation for another time). Unfortunately, you might be receiving even more unwanted DMs in the near future.

Debt Collectors Will Be Sliding Into Your DMs

You could now have another type of unwanted person sliding into your DMs. Debt collectors. No one is ever excited to be contacted by debt collectors. Most of the time you send them straight to voicemail when they call you nearly every day. Now, they'll be going straight to voicemails to unread in your DMs. According to CBS News, about one-third of U.S. adults with a credit report currently have debt in collections. That has led to new regulations that went into effect this week that let debt collectors reach out to people through their social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

What To Expect From These DMs

This new regulation would impact millions of Americans with unpaid debt. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can attempt to contact you through your DMs to attempt to collect these unpaid bills.  First of all, they won't be sliding into your DMs by saying "Hey beautiful" or with flirty emojis. Much like all of the unwanted DMs that you get from people trying to hit on you, debt collectors don't need a consumer's permission to reach out via social media, and the rule doesn't limit the number of messages they can send.

However, CBS News reports that they must abide by certain restrictions. A few of these restrictions include that they have to disclose that they're a collector, and they must offer you an option to opt out of social media messages.  Also, they cannot send any public messages that can be seen by other users on social media. The new rule also limits the number of phone calls you receive from debt collectors too. You can find out more about these new regulations by clicking here.

(H/T-CBS News)