From the Associated Press –

A Florida woman claims a debt collector went far beyond the usual phone calls in an attempt to recoup $362 for an unpaid car loan by sending her messages on Facebook — and by telling family on the social networking site to have her call the agency.

Melanie Beacham, who is suing the debt collection agency Mark One LLC in a Florida court, said she never expected to hear from a collection agency on Facebook, which she used to talk to loved ones and post the occasional photo or funny status update.

“I was shocked when I found out these collectors used Facebook to contact my family because they knew exactly where I was,” Beacham, 34, told The Associated Press in an e-mail on Thursday. “I’m angry they caused me so much embarrassment with my family.”

When will it stop? It probably will not. Now, that they have established that they can humiliate people, they’ve struck gold.

The federal government is the only power who can defend us from this kind of abuse. Without 50 state authority, any legislation at the state level is hit or miss.

But the federal government is a protector of large companies in almost all cases. It is little inclined to act in the public’s behalf and barely representative of the people.

You can see from the current controversy over airport scanners how little concerned they get over a public problem. An industry problem causes them to jump to attention and perform. A financial industry problem has them barking like a trained seal.

Where do we go for help?

James Pilant