The Florida Attorney General is part of the crack down.

Two debt relief organizations recently settled with the state after being accused of misappropriating the funds of people they were supposed to help pay their bills.

"In this tough economic situation, it's really unfortunate that scammers and con artists are using the circumstances to take advantage of our consumers," said Sandi Copes with the AG's office.

She said phony debt relief services often use a tough sell to reel in victims who are struggling to make a living.

The FTC has produced a consumer education video featuring victims and a former scammer who explains how it works.