Nationally, 3.2B consumers reported losing more than $1.9B to fraud in 2019 according to the Federal Trade Commission.  26,870 Kentuckians lost $10.6M in total fraud, identity theft and other reports in 2019.  Kentucky Scam Alerts aims to combat the steep climb in reports of scams targeting Kentuckians by phone, mail and email.  In January 2019, this Family and Consumer Sciences agent presented Scams! Be Informed to 147 District 4 Homemaker leaders in nine counties.  The top consumer scams and fraud were identified with strategies to prevent them by the Kentucky General Attorney’s Office and the FTC. The following data was collected that validates the success of the program:

Prior to the program                                                                        3 months later

56%                Could not identify the top consumer scams                     97%

48%                Could identify scam protection strategies            93%                 

38%                Could identify methods scammers commonly use         97%

38%                Could identify payment methods scammers use            98%

In addition, the follow- survey data revealed the following change of action:

99% hang up on robo calls

99% are skeptical about free trial offers

98% question caller ID numbers

99% refuse to pay in advance for a promise of goods or services

98% will report questionable offers, calls or actions to local authorities or FTC

98% shared information with others

Extension provides programming that inform, motivate and improve the lives of citizens:  “Now I know to report attempts. I didn’t realize earlier that FTC website is so useful.”  “I will be much more cautious when answering the phone as well as with my credit cards.”   “I will be more diligent of scammers and call to block robo calls.”