Consumer debt is getting pretty close to $2 trillion.
  Millions of families in the United States are in very serious financial straits and quite a few are turning to debt counseling services for their consumer debt solutions.
  The debt solution industry is fast growing and has been so full of abuses that the U.
S.
Senate is investigating it.
People's identities have been stolen and many lost what little they had left.
Part of the problem is due to the new bankruptcy law.
  Since October 2005, the law has said that if a consumer wants to file for bank he or she must first go through credit counseling before they file for bankruptcy.
  And now the IRS is cracking down on questionable credit counseling agencies.
So there could be a shortage of legitimate credit counselors.
  This makes a bad situation worse.
If you need help with your debt and are looking for consumer debt solutions the best place to start would be with your attorney or your accountant.
  They will probably be able to direct you to reputable credit counseling services.
  And if you're lucky, they may be able to give you the advice that you need to avoid declaring bankruptcy.
However, if you do decide to find help with your debt online, please do not jump into anything.
  It's very easy for someone to set up a complete website in a very short amount of time.
Fraudulent websites and scams abound, so if you still decide to search online for consumer debt solutions, do your due diligence.
  The first thing you should do is see if there have been any complaints filed against the company you are considering hiring.
  One good place to start would be the Better Business Bureau in their area.