PENNSYLVANIA — 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, veterans and the public throughout the month of November to promote financial capability and provide investor education.
November 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
Avoiding Scams and 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. It will also review common scams and frauds.
- Ephrata Public Library, 550 South Reading Rd., Ephrata (Lancaster County) on Nov. 8 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. For additional information contact Helen Taylor at 717-738-9291.
Cybersecurity: 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 avoiding fraud. This is a VIRTUAL event and will be held on Nov. 16 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. For more information and to register contact Amanda Scharrer at 717-761-3900 or ascharrer@cumberlandlibraries.org.
FOR MILITARY AND VETERANS
Veteran ScamJam!: This is a conference bringing experts in finance and consumer protection to present to service members, veterans and their families. We will focus on investment fraud and scam prevention. Presentations from multiple agencies will be featured and we will play a fun and interactive game of Investment Fraud BINGO.
- Penn Harris Hotel, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill (Cumberland County) on Nov. 8 from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Register online at https://forms.office.com/g/aPd93Vc4VeOpens In A New Window. For additional information contact informed@pa.gov.
EVENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS
Cybersecurity: 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 avoiding fraud.
- Golden Connections Community Center, 20 Gotham Place, Red Lion (York County) on Nov. 2 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This presentation is open to Golden Connections members only. For additional information contact Amanda Pina at 717-244-7229 or socialservices@gcccenter.com.
- Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, 713 N. 13th St., Allentown (Lehigh County) on Nov. 17 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This event is open to residents and staff of LVCIL only. For more information contact Catherine Bogdanski at 610-770-9781 or catherinebogdanski@lvcil.org.
Fraud Bingo: Join us for a fun and interactive game that teaches consumers how to protect themselves from investment fraud by playing a familiar game – BINGO! These in-person events will be held at the following locations:
- Spring Township Seniors – West Lawn Methodist Church, 15 Woodside Ave., West Lawn (Berks County) on Nov. 3 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. For additional information contact Bruce Posten at 484-269-3964 or bposten@comcast.net.
- Lion’s Den, 158 Lion’s Den Drive, McAllister (Juniata County) on Nov. 9 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. For additional information contact Daniel Auker at 570-837-0052.
Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them: Everyday 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.
- Columbia Senior Center, 510 Walnut St., Columbia (Lancaster County) on Nov. 14 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This presentation is open to members of the Columbia Senior Center only. For additional information contact Brenda Kelliehan at 717-684-4850 or bkelliehan@caplanc.org.
FOR MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
Investing in Women: This presentation addresses the unique financial challenges experienced by many women and covers topics on finances and investing and will be offered at the following locations:
- Nashamany Federation of Teachers on Nov. 2 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL event. For additional information contact Sharon Binder at 215-932-4083 or sbinder@nft1417.org.
- Temple University’s Howard Gittis Student Center, 1755 N. 13th St., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Nov. 15 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. This presentation is in partnership with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and will also discuss banking and credit issues pertinent to college students. For additional information contact Karen Thompson at 215-204-5802 or kat26@temple.edu.
How to Talk to Your Children About Money: The Department of Banking and Securities will be participating in a panel discussion hosted by The Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation about the importance of talking to your children about money. This will be held via ZOOM on Nov. 15 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. For additional information or to register contact Karen Hassett at 484-674-0506 or khassett@patf.us.
LEGISLATIVE EXPOS AND EVENTS
Outreach staff will also be available at the following legislative events:
- Sen. Santarsiero’s ScamJam: Central Bucks Senior Center, 700 N. Shady Retreat Rd., Doylestown (Bucks County) on Nov. 17 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. For additional information or to register, contact Nancy Adam at 215-489-5000 or nancy.adam@pasenate.com.
- Rep. Parke Wentling’s ScamJam: Greenville Senior Center – Mercer County AAA, 45 Alan Ave., Greenville (Mercer County) on Nov. 29 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. For additional information or to register, contact Brianna Toth at 724-734-5980 or btoth@pahousegop.com.
- Rep. Kail’s Beaver County $camJam: Vanport Fire Hall, 435 Jefferson Ave., Beaver (Beaver County) on Nov. 30 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For additional information or to register, contact Monica Babir at 724-728-7655.
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 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.
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