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    October Consumer Financial Protection Events Announced

    September 24, 2024

    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 October to promote financial capability and provide investor education. 

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

    EVENTS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

    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!

    • Lebanon County Historical Society, 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon (Lebanon County) on Oct. 6 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. For additional information contact Pam Tricamo at 717-272-1473 or office@lchsociety.org.
    • Arora (Lifetime Fitness), 700 Swedesford Road, Wayne (Delaware County) on Oct. 7 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. For additional information contact Paulette Moreland at 484-254-7000 or PMoreland@lt.life.

    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.

    • B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging is hosting the event at the Bradford County Comm Center, 29 Van Kuren Drive, Suite 2, Towanda (Bradford County) on Oct. 23 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. For additional information contact Susan Hitchcock at 570-265-6121 or shitchcock@bsstaaa.org.
    • B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging is hosting the event at the Montrose Public Library, 458 High School Road, Montrose (Susquehanna County) on Oct. 24 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. For additional information contact Susan Hitchcock at 570-265-6121 or shitchcock@bsstaaa.org.

    EVENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS 

    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!

    • St. Vincent Seniors, St. Vincent De Paul Church, 101 St. Vincent Drive, Milford (Pike County) on Oct. 3 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Diane Meyerhoff at Stvincentsseniorclub@outlook.com.
    • Bethany Village Retirement Center, 325 Wesley Drive, Mechanicsburg (Cumberland County) on Oct. 29 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Kristin Juchem at 717-591-8021 or Kjuchem@asbury.org.
    • Trafford Manor, 534 Brinton Ave., Trafford (Allegheny County) on Oct. 30 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Liz Hagan Kanche at Liz@PathwaysWellnessProgram.com.
    • Irwin Manor, 100 Western Ave., Irwin (Westmoreland County) on Oct. 31 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Liz Hagan Kanche at Liz@PathwaysWellnessProgram.com.

    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.

    • Charles T. Adams Active Adult Center, 5 East Market St., Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on Oct. 4 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Maria Linso at 570-825-3484 or Maria.Linso@luzernecounty.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, and even tips for shopping online safely.

    • Philadelphia Senior Center-Allegheny, 1900 West Allegheny Ave., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Oct. 8 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Barbara Jackson at 267-286-1455 or bjackson@philaseniorcenter.org.

    Avoiding Investment Fraud: Scams are a dime a dozen, this session will cover investment scams like Ponzi Schemes, Affinity Fraud, Promissory Notes, and others. We will discuss the red flags of investment fraud and what to do if you think you may have been a victim of one. We will also provide resources and information about verifying the investment professional and the investment itself, this enables investors to make educated investment decisions.

    • Heritage Creek Estates, 1365 Tulip Road, Ivyland (Bucks County) on Oct. 8 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Christine Mifsud at 717-429-0984 or drmifsud@comcast.net.

    $cam Jam: a fun and interactive event that brings experts in law enforcement and state agencies together to educate target audiences on how to protect their money from financial fraud and abuse. Between key sessions attendees get to play Fraud BINGO – they may even win a prize! This program is in partnership with AARP Pennsylvania.

    • Phoebe Village Berks, 1 Reading Drive, Wernersville (Berks County) on Oct. 23 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. For residents only. For additional information contact Fran Malley at 484-256-7619 or Franmalley36@gmail.com.
    • Indian Valley Family YMCA, 890 Maple Ave., Harleysville (Montgomery County) on Oct. 24 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. For members only. For additional information and to register contact Dominique Lanza at 267-467-7457 or dominiquel@northpennymca.org.
    • Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging hosting the event at Commonwealth University Clearfield, Room A212, 201 University Drive, Clearfield (Clearfield County) on Oct. 30 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For additional information and to register contact Dennis Biancuzzo at 814.765.2696 ext. 320 or dbiancuzzo@matureresources.life.

    EVENTS FOR LIMITED AUDIENCES

    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!

    • PHFA Forum Chester County, Steeltown Village, 730 Wheatland St., Phoenixville (Chester County) on Oct. 9 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For forum attendees only. For additional information and to register contact Alicia Spencer at 610-270-1989 or aspencer@phfa.org.

    Preventing Elder Financial Fraud – It Takes a Village: Elder Financial Abuse has skyrocketed to be the number 1 issue reported and verified to Adult Protective Services staff – and that’s only the tip of the iceberg, since so much abuse goes unreported. As professionals working directly with older adults, you are in unique positions to protect them from con artists looking to steal their life savings. This session will outline red flags of elder financial abuse and the latest scams facing you and the older adults you serve.

    • PA Affordable Housing Management Association (PAHMA) Annual Fall Educational Conference, Seven Springs Convention Center, 777 Waterwheel Drive, Seven Springs (Somerset/Fayette counties) on Oct. 10 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. For conference attendees only. For additional information contact Marianne McLaughlin at 412-874-3993 or admin@pahma.org.

    STaRT (Start Today and Retire Tomorrow): This program discusses retirement planning. The goal is to help you determine what your retirement goals are and how to help you get there. No matter where you are in the timeline for retirement, early career, mid-career or late career, know that it’s never too late to STaRT.

    • PHFA Forum Scranton, Lutherwoods Apts., 1 Lake Scranton Road, Scranton (Lackawanna County) on Oct. 18 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For forum attendees only. For additional information and to register contact Alicia Spencer at 610-270-1989 or aspencer@phfa.org.

    Spending Plans – A Road to Financial Success: This presentation focuses on the need for a spending plan so that people can achieve their financial goals. We discuss the differences between wants and needs; setting SMART goals; creating a spending plan; putting the plan into action; as well as periodically reviewing goals and spending plans in order to ensure that you can stay on track.

    • PA CareerLink Bucks County (Bucks County) on Oct. 23 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL program and open to members only. For additional information contact Herb Bethea at 267-580-3501 or hbethea@buckscareerlink.org.

    Spending Plans – A Road to Financial Success: This presentation focuses on the need for a spending plan so that people can achieve their financial goals. We discuss the differences between wants and needs; setting SMART goals; creating a spending plan; putting the plan into action; as well as periodically reviewing goals and spending plans in order to ensure that you can stay on track.

    • PHFA Forum Philadelphia, Inglis Innovation Center, 2560 Belmont Ave., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Oct. 25 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For forum attendees only. For additional information and to register contact Tylin Colston at 610-270-3160 or tcolston@phfa.org.

    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.