Judge bans debt collector from Facebook friends list

Judge bans debt collector from Facebook friends list


St. Petersburg, Florida - A Pinellas County judge is banning a Jacksonville debt collector from contacting a woman who fell behind on her car payment, via the website Facebook.

MarkOne Financial is accused of going through Melanie Beacham's friends list and contacting family members in Georgia.

Related: Debt collectors use Facebook to harass those who owe

Tampa consumer attorney Billy Howard of law firm Morgan and Morgan says any type of harassment, including contacting a debtors family members about money owed is a violation of Florida law.

Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird ordered MarkOne not to use Facebook to contact Beacham or any of her friends and family on Facebook or any social networking website.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=180071&catid=250