Consumer complaints to government watchdog agencies seem to be climbing, and much of that increase appears to be tied to a spike in debt-consolidation and credit-help scams, according to research released today by three national consumer-protection groups.

The watchdog groups -- the Consumer Federation of America, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators -- surveyed 33 state and local government agencies that, combined, recorded about 300,000 consumer complaints last year.

Officials from the consumer groups discussed the research today with reporters via tele-conference.

One important finding, they said, is that despite increases in consumer complaints reported by more than half the survey agencies last year, those same offices aren't necessarily beefing up enforcement efforts to respond to the uptick. That's because, according to the survey, most agencies last year reported budget cuts and inadequate staffing.

"Despite layoffs, hiring freezes, and furloughs, state and local consumer agencies are making herculean efforts to keep up with these and other complaints," said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection at the Consumer Federation.

Bogus foreclosure-rescue solicitations were the fastest-growing consumer complaint last year, but the survey also found increases in other complaint categories that seemed tied to dour economic conditions. Those complaints included aggressive debt-collection practices, debt-settlement services, advance-fee loans, business opportunities, business closings, problems resulting from foreclosures, job scams, investment schemes and auto dealers failing to pay off loans on trade-ins, the groups said.

Because of the economy, consumers are "more vulnerable to false promises of easy ways to make or borrow money," said Anna Huddleston-Aycock, a Florida regulator and the president of the North American Consumer Protection Investigators.

Here's the list of top consumer complaint categories for 2009, with the category's 2008 ranking noted in parentheses:

• 1. Auto: Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars; lemons; faulty repairs; leasing and towing disputes. (1)
• 2. Credit and debt: Billing and fee disputes; mortgage-related fraud; credit repair; debt relief services; predatory lending; illegal or abusive debt collection tactics. (3)
• 3. Home improvement and construction: Shoddy work; failure to start or complete the job. (2)
• 4. Utilities: Service problems or billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric and gas services (4)
• 5. Retail sales: False advertising and other deceptive practices; defective merchandise; problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates; failure to deliver (5)
• 6. Services: Misrepresentations; shoddy work; failure to have required licenses; failure to perform (6)
• 7. Internet sales: Misrepresentations or other deceptive practice; failure to deliver online purchases (9)
• 8. Household Goods: Misrepresentations; failure to deliver; faulty repairs in connection with furniture or appliances (7)
• 9. Tie between landlord and tenant disputes (8) and home solicitations (9), which included misrepresentations or failure to deliver in door-to-door, telemarketing or mail solicitations; do-not-call violations.
• 10. Health products and services: Misleading claims; unlicensed practitioners; failure to deliver (10)