DEBT COLLECTORS AND CREDITORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PUBLISH NAMES OF CONSUMERS WHO ALLEGEDLY REFUSE TO PAY A DEBT
Has a debt collector or creditor published your name as someone who refused to pay a debt?
Decades ago it was somewhat common for local businesses to post lists of consumers who supposedly refused to pay a debt. An episode of Seinfeld revolved around this familiar practice when its plot included the display of a bad check of Jerry Sienfeld's on the wall in Marcelino's store. While the sitcom makes light of this practice, it is no laughing matter to a debtor when a debt collector or creditor publishes their name as a person refusing to pay a debt, and they are not allowed to do this.
Under the FDCPA and RFDCPA, it is considered abusive for a debt collector or creditor to publish a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay a debt, except when reporting the alleged debt to a credit reporting agency.
Publication of alleged debts and/or their debtors can include sharing the information with other companies or individuals by:
- Posting it on a website
- Sharing it on social media such as Facebook or Twitter
- Hanging a list or copies of bad checks in a public place
- Providing the information to a public e-mail or listserv group
If a debt collector or creditor has published your name as someone who refused to pay a debt, please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-219-3577.
