Debt Collectors Will Be Able to Contact You on Facebook, Ins

 A new CFPB rule will give collection agencies more ways to find you. Here's what to do if they come after you. A new rule finalized today by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will let debt collectors contact consumers not just by phone, as presently permitted, but also by email, text message, and even using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

The Bureau’s annual report to Congress summarizes the Bureau’s activities to administer the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in 2021 as the primary federal regulator of the consumer debt collection industry. This report also includes activities conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2021 in relation to debt collection.

Almost 70 percent of medical debt is set to be removed from consumers' credit reports beginning on Friday, July 1. In March, the three major U.S. credit reporting agencies announced that they were planning to stop including medical collection debt that was previously listed on individual credit reports.