when you go through a agency such as consumer credit counseling, you are not allowed to use your credit cards or obtain any new debt. This is not the law or anything, just the rules of the agency. Also most of those agencies are able to get you lower interest and such because they don't pay your bills for 3 months making you 3months late on all your bills. And most of the time when you are 3 months late, the credit card company won't allow you to use your cards.
I think the whole idea behind this is just that if you are needing help consolidating debt than you definately shouldn't be putting yourself in any more debt during the process! Those companies are absolutely right for doing that.
