The attorney general’s office is investigating two companies for allegedly offering free emergency response training required for people working on oil spill cleanup that wasn’t actually free.

Complaints filed by Attorney General Bill McCollum’s office allege Clearwater-based Able Body Labor and Panama City-based Southern Cat, Inc., both falsely advertised free certifications and then charged for them. Able Body admitted the action and was cooperating with investigators, McCollum said in a news conference. Southern Cat hadn’t responded. “This state will not put up with scams, especially scams that are related to times of distress,” McCollum said. “Those people out there in the Panhandle are very vulnerable right now.”