The first organizations that were developed to assist consumers overburdened with unsecured debt were established as non-profit enterprises in the 1960s and 1970s. However, by the late 1990s, the for-profit debt settlement model had taken the industry by storm. Virtually overnight, a cottage industry of debt settlement firms cropped up across the United States. Initially, state legislatures were behind the curve in attempting to regulate these new ventures. However, by the mid-2000s, a growing number of consumer complaints about for-profit debt settlement companies compelled many lawmakers to spring into action. Across the nation, a number of increasingly restrictive regulations were enacted that defined the role and capabilities of for-profit debt settlement firms. In several states, for-profit debt settlement firms were banned outright. In general, most personal finance experts recommend that consumers consult first with a non-profit debt settlement organization or credit counseling service before seeking the assistance of a for-profit venture.