HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania banking regulators are taking their anti-scam message on the road in February, hosting a slate of free public education sessions aimed at helping residents—especially older adults—spot fraud, prevent identity theft, and protect personal information.
Investor Education and Consumer Outreach staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities said the events, held with community partners, will cover practical warning signs of scams, steps to reduce risk, and what to do if someone believes they have been targeted.
Among the scheduled sessions is an “Avoiding Identity Theft” program hosted virtually by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency on Thursday, February 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Organizers said it will focus on how identities are compromised, how to respond, and how to reduce the chances of theft.
Several events geared toward older adults will use a game format. A “Fraud BINGO and the Truth About Romance Scams” session is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Maple Street Senior Center, 710 Maple Street, Lebanon, and is limited to members. Additional “Fraud BINGO” presentations are planned Monday, February 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Central Blair Senior Center, 1320 12th Avenue, Altoona (members only); Wednesday, February 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Babs Curran Senior Center, 403 North Market Street, Duncannon; and Friday, February 27, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Linda Kohut/Pittston Active Adult Center, 441 North Main Street, Pittston (members only).
An additional “Avoiding Identity Theft” presentation for older adults is set for Thursday, February 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Towanda Active Living Center, Colonial Towers, 131 Colonial Drive, Towanda, and is limited to members.
State officials encouraged Pennsylvanians to report suspected scams and seek help resolving financial, insurance, and consumer issues by calling 1-866-PACOMPLAINT, visiting pa.gov/consumer, or emailing consumer@pa.gov. They also said residents can learn more about non-commercial financial education programs at pa.gov/dobs.
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