Do you think that you can hide your personal life from the debt collectors? Not anymore. Debt collectors want to know more and more about you. As such, they always try to know about your paycheck, car model, bank account number, etc. Debt collectors gather information about you and your family from various sources. In fact, data brokers gather your personal information and you don't even have a clue about it.

Debt collection agencies look out for the new ways to keep a tab on your movements inside and outside your home. You may be shocked to discover that collectors even know which products you buy from the market.

Technologies and social media have made it easier for the debt collectors to track your activities 24*7. They can easily access your personal information from various sources. They use the information to get an overall idea about you.

Don't think that debt collectors will tell you how much information they have gathered. However, some collectors have disclosed the type of information gathered through various sources under the fierce pressure from the FTC and Congress.

Read below and find out what the debt collectors know about your personal and social life.

Debt collectors know how much you earn annually

Your employer is not the only person who knows how much you make in a year. Data brokers gather information about your job, designation and annual income all the time. In addition to that, they try to know the fair market value of your home.

Usually, data brokers classify people into various groups such as:

• Ready for retirement
• Affluent parents
• Young and thrifty

Debt collectors know what you love to do in your spare time

Collectors analyze what you do and buy for fun. They try to know about your hobbies on the basis of the purchasing history. They make it a point to know how much you're willing to pay for a specific product. This will help them determine your sensitivity towards the cost of a product.

For instance, if you're a person who frequently purchases Apple products, then you'll be considered as less price sensitive in comparison to an individual who buys Windows products.

Debt collectors know where you party with your friends

Believe it or not, debt brokers know where you go out with your friends or family members. Do you know who gives this information to them? You.

Don't be shocked to read this. Your personal cellphone helps the data brokers know where you party with your friends. If you've installed an application that offers location based services, then brokers can track your each and every movement across the city.

Debt collectors are very much aware of what you did last year

On the basis of your purchasing habits, debt collectors know about your activities in the past year. Debt collectors know when and where you went for a vacation. They can easily tell if you took a cruise or went for skying. Debt collectors know everything.

How you can shield your private life from debt collectors

It is really difficult to safeguard your private life from the debt collectors. Online companies are required to disclose the privacy policy to the consumers. You can just find out what they can do with your personal details from the website only. Still, they are not monitored like that of the banks and financial institutions.

The real problem lies with the brick-and-mortar retailers. They are not required by law to disclose what they can or can't do with your personal information. This means they can easily sell your personal information to data brokers and debt collectors.

There are a few steps that you can take to guard your personal information. For instance, don't reveal your ZIP code at the time of purchasing a product from retailer. Don't share your email address as well.