The FBI says scams cost Kentuckians $74 million last year.

Now, the state is joining forces with the Better Business Bureau and AARP to create a website that will give Kentuckians tips to avoid scams, a way to report them, and information about how to get their money back.

If they fall victim.

Because for more than 100 years, the BBA has helped connect consumers with businesses they can trust and equip them with the tools they need and education to keep their identity and their money out of the hands of scammers.

And because of this website, our educational efforts will be able to spread even farther across the Commonwealth through the combined efforts of the Public Protection Cabinet, AARP and the BPP.

You will be able to keep your hard earned dollars in your own pocket in your own communities.

It's the mission of the Public Protection Cabinet to keep Kentuckians safe in business, leisure and in daily life.

And we would not be able to meet this mission without addressing something that is putting Kentuckians at risk every day.

And that's scammers.

And as we all know, these scammers, with the emergence of technology, is getting more and more hard to detect.

They sound like people, you know, with AI.

So we've got to do what we can to stop this.

And part of that is making people aware of ongoing scams as we find them out.

Empowering people to make the right decisions.

And part of that is I want to really thank our partners here, the Better Business Bureau and AARP, for our partnership and also want to thank our, state agencies.

They're going to be working with us on this, sharing information to try to stop this educate and go after these scammers when it happens.

So.

And I know, governor, I'm talking you mentioned earlier and I get the same text to the scammers that are emailing me saying, I owe you toll money.

Give it up.

We're coming after you.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Good advice there.

A reminder that website is stop scams dot K-Y dot gov.