We have written before about the possible dangers of Facebook in ways that you might not expect, such as a source of evidence during divorce proceedings.  Of course, people are also growing increasingly aware that putting too much information about yourself online in any forum could lead to problems like identity theft.  But here’s something you may not have considered – who might want to use the Internet to find you?  One possible answer might be debt collection agencies.

Debt collection has become a huge business in recent years following the recession; these agencies can buy debts for pennies on the dollar, but they only profit if they can track down the debtors to collect (or succeed in getting court judgments).  But they still have a legal responsibility to treat consumers fairly, and some feel that increasingly sneaky tactics might be skirting the edge of that.

For example, in 2009 a media story broke about debt collectors using attractive women as “bait” on Facebook to keep track of debtors.  One journalist found himself with a “friend” who was actually a skip tracer for a collection agency – and the trick was apparently working quite well as she had over 600 Facebook friends at the time.

A recent lawsuit illuminates the potential pitfalls of this kind of behavior.  The plaintiff is alleging harassment and invasion of privacy after debt collectors not only contacted her through Facebook, but sent messages to her family members – which prompted an unwelcome family discussion about her financial situation.

So are debt collection agencies just changing with the times like any good business or are they reaching too far?  The answer may lie in how truthful they are being in their social networking dealings.  But the moral to this story is clear: Be careful who you friend.