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    February Consumer Financial Protection Events Announced

    January 27, 2025

    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 general public throughout the month of February to promote financial capability and provide investor education. 

    February outreach events, in partnership with the listed organizations, will be held in person and are open to the public unless otherwise noted.  

    EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

    Avoiding ID Theft: This presentation looks at ways people’s identities are stolen or compromised, what you can do if you find you have had your identity stolen, and how to stop theft from occurring.

    • Triumph Baptist Church, 1648 W. Hunting Park Ave., Unit 52, Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Feb. 13 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For additional information contact George Dillman at gdillman@pa.gov.

    Investing 101: This is an introduction to saving and investing. Topics to be covered include why we need to save and invest, the difference between saving and investing, types of investments, the “power” of compound interest, investigating before you invest, technology and investing, and diversification.

    •  Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill (Cumberland County) on Feb. 13 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. This is a VIRTUAL program and registration is required to receive your login information. To register contact Amanda Scharrer at 717-761-3900 or ascharrer@cumberlandcountylibraries.org.

    Fraud BINGO: A fun and interactive presentation that teaches consumers how to protect themselves from investment fraud by playing a familiar game – BINGO! Every day people get “scammed” out of THOUSANDS of dollars. Many times, it’s those who can least afford to lose the money!

    • The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center, 4200 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Feb. 21 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. For additional information contact Veda Brown at 215-558-1531 or veda.brown@use.salvationarmy.org.

    Investor Protection: Whatever your age, understanding how to keep your information safe and secure online is vitally important for everyone. This presentation covers key topics like using secure websites, creating strong passwords, being aware of what you put on social media, and even tips for shopping online safely.

    • Area Agency on Aging, Inc., Towanda (Bradford County) on Feb. 26 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL program and open to the public. For additional information contact Susan Hitchcock at 570-265-6121 or shitchcock@bsstaaa.org.

    EVENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS

    Budgeting for Your New Year Goals: Are you financially ready for 2025? How far into the future will you be paying off that holiday debt or that “trip of a lifetime?” This presentation focuses on the need for a spending plan/budget. It emphasizes setting and achieving your financial goals without the debt. We discuss the differences between wants and needs, setting SMART goals, creating a spending plan for the coming year, putting the plan into action, as well as periodically reviewing your plan to ensure you stay on track.

    •       Charles T. Adams Active Adult Center, 5 East Market St., Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on Feb. 12 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Event is open to members only. For additional information contact Maria Linso at 570-825-3484 or maria.linso@luzernecounty.org.

    Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them: Every day people are getting scammed out of THOUSANDS of dollars by so called “professionals” looking to separate them from their hard-earned money. This presentation introduces us to commonly used tactics, what to look for and how to avoid them.

    • Phoebe Apartments, 1901 Linden St., Allentown (Lehigh County) on Feb. 19 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Cristal Polanco at 610-794-6265 or cpolanco@phoebe.org.

    Fraud BINGO: A fun and interactive presentation that teaches consumers how to protect themselves from investment fraud by playing a familiar game – BINGO! Every day people get “scammed” out of THOUSANDS of dollars. Many times, it’s those who can least afford to lose the money!

    • Wind Gap Manor, 665 Alpha Road, Wind Gap (Northampton County) on Feb. 19 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Mary Molloy at 610-794-6267 or mmolloy@phoebe.org.
    • Berks Encore – Strausstown, 44 East Ave., Strausstown (Berks County) on Feb. 25 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Andrea Gebely at 610-488-5770 or AGebely@berksencore.org.

    Cybersecurity – Staying Safe Online: Whatever your age, understanding how to keep your information safe and secure online is vitally important for everyone. This presentation covers key topics like using secure websites, creating strong passwords, being aware of what you put on social media, as well as tips for shopping online safely.

    •  Wayne Senior Center, 108 Station Road, Wayne (Delaware County) on Feb. 20 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Margo Fine-Gabbay at 610-688-6246 or margo@wayneseniorcenter.org.

    Avoiding Identity Theft & Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them: This session combines two of our most popular presentations. We will look at ways people’s identities are stolen or compromised, what you can do if you find you have had your identity stolen, and how to stop theft from occurring. The presentation will also cover commonly used scam tactics, what to look for and how to avoid them.

    • ARORA/Life Time, 700 Swedesford Road, Wayne (Montgomery County) on Feb. 20 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Paulette Moreland at 484-254-7000 or PMoreland@lt.life.

    EVENTS FOR LIMITED AUDIENCES

    Banking in the 21st Century: This presentation is an overview of how banks and credit unions work. We also discuss the differences between types of accounts, the importance of balancing accounts, what to do if you have had banking issues in the past, what types of questions you should ask before opening an account, and what deposit insurance does and does not cover.

    • PA Office of Administration, Bureau of Employee Benefits, Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on Feb. 27 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL presentation and open to Commonwealth employees only. For additional information contact Tim Pucino at 717-787-9872 or tpucino@pa.gov.

    DoBS Investor Education and Consumer Outreach staff works 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 presentation 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: Joan Z. Nissley, jnissley@pa.gov

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