Harrisburg, PA - Education and outreach staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) will be hosting and participating in numerous presentations for groups of senior citizens, service providers and the public throughout the month of February to promote financial capability and provide investor education.
February outreach events will be held in person and virtually in partnership with the listed organizations. The events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Events For General Audiences
Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them – a presentation discussing common scams and steps consumers can take to protect themselves – will be presented virtually at Bosler Memorial Library (Cumberland County) on February 2 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. For additional information and registration, contact Natalie Kaplan at 717-243-4642, ext. 2226.
Investing 101 (Part 2 of 3) – a presentation that takes a deeper look at investing concepts with overviews of the types of investment accounts and other attributes. It will be presented virtually on February 8 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Schlow Centre Region Library (Centre County). For additional information, contact Cheryl Yablon at 717-236-9555, ext. 3115.
Events For Senior Citizens
Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them will be offered in-person at the following:
- Montco SAAC-Norristown at 536 George Street in Norristown (Montgomery County) on February 7 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. For additional information, contact Marcia Brown at 610-275-1960. Open to Members.
- Montco SAAC-Ambler at 45 Forest Avenue in Ambler (Montgomery County) on February 7 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. For additional information, contact Aimee Connor at 215-619-8863. Open to Members.
Fraud Bingo – a fun and interactive game that teaches consumers how to protect themselves from investment fraud by playing BINGO - will be offered in-person at the following:
- Southern Blair Senior Center at 15229 Dunnings Highway in East Freedom (Blair County) on February 7 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. For additional information contact, Karen Kelley, Coordinator, at 814-317-5181. Open to Members.
- Philadelphia Senior Center Avenue of the Arts at 509 S Broad Street in Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on February 15 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. For additional information contact, Edwina Griggs, Activities Coordinator, at 215-546-5879, ext. 229.
Banking Basics – an overview of some of the terms, concepts, and fundamentals with retail banking and investing products and services - will be offered virtually to residents at the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL) at 713 N 13th Street in Allentown (Lehigh County) on February 10 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. For information, contact Catherine Bogdanski, Statewide Coalition Project Coordinator, at 610-770-9781, ext. 172.
Cybersecurity – a presentation looking at ways to stay safe online and avoid falling victim to various scams including investment scams, impersonator scams, and other types - will be virtually presented at the Wayne Senior Center at 108 Station Road in Wayne (Delaware County) on February 16 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. For additional information contact, Margo Fine-Gabbay, Program Director, at 610-688-6246.
Spending Plans: A Roadmap for Success – a presentation discussing building a spending plan and taking steps to secure your retirement - will be presented at Plains AAC at 50 2nd Street in Plains (Luzerne County) on February 23 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For additional information, contact Alice Bohunko, Director, at 570-824-5542.
Virtual Events for Organizations and Service Providers
Working with DoBS – an overview of the agency, businesses we regulate, how individuals can work with our outreach staff, as well as our consumer services team – will be presented to Golden Connections Community Center at 20 Gotham Place in Red Lion (York County) on February 9 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For additional information, contact Kasie Ream, Director of Social Services, at 717-244-7229.
Investing in Women - which focuses on the unique financial challenges women face in banking and budgeting, credit, and investments – will be presented by DoBS staff to Women’s Way on February 10 via Zoom from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. For additional information, contact intern1@womensway.org or 215-985-3322.
In partnership with the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, the following presentations will be available via Microsoft Teams for Girl Scouts to earn financial literacy badges:
- My Financial Planner will be presented to Ambassador-level Girl Scouts on February 13 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Contact Becky MacDicken at 717-214-4755 or bmacdicken@pa.gov for more information.
Additional information about the partnership is available at media.pa.gov.
Avoiding Scams for Small Business Owners – a presentation providing an overview of scams targeting small business owners and entrepreneurs and steps to take to protect yourself and your enterprise – will be virtually presented to SCORE Bucks County (Bucks County) on February 21 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. For more information about the webinar or to register, please visit www.score.org/buckscounty.
Elder Investment Fraud Prevention – a presentation to members of the Sheriff’s Association – will be held on February 24 at 9:00 AM at the Holiday Inn, Grantville (Dauphin County). Open to attendees.
Senior$afe: Preventing Elder Financial Abuse – a presentation on the warning signs of Elder Financial Abuse and how to help protect your clients from it - will be presented on February 27 from 5:15 PM to 7:30 PM to the Chester County Estate Planning Council at the West Chester Golf Club in West Chester (Chester County).
Banking Basics will be presented at the following:
- PA Office of Administration, Bureau of Employee Benefits - a virtual webinar for state employees - on February 13 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. To register, visit the “Financial Wellness” tab under the Employee Resource Center.
- PA Career Link of Lancaster County at 1046 Manheim Pike on February 27 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. For additional information, contact: Nicole Deeley at 717-509-5613, ext. 600. Open to Members.
DoBS Investor Education and Consumer Outreach staff work with state and local government agencies, service providers, community and trade organizations, the General Assembly, the military community, schools, and other partners to help Pennsylvanians across the commonwealth become well-informed about the financial marketplace.
Learn more about the free, non-commercial programs and presentations available or contact us to request a program tailored to your specific needs.
Visit the department's calendar of events to find an event near you. Consumers and community groups can call 1-800-PA-BANKS or email informed@pa.gov for more information.
MEDIA CONTACT: Madeline Williams - 717.214.6036, DoBSComm@pa.gov
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