Shapiro Administration Expands Consumer Protections | Department of Banking and Securities | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - As National Consumer Protection Week begins, the Shapiro Administration is highlighting the impact of Pennsylvania's new centralized consumer protection initiative - which has already connected thousands of Pennsylvanians with help resolving scams, insurance disputes, and financial concerns.

Since launching the statewide "no wrong door" consumer protection hotline, website, and email address in May 2025, more than 10,000 consumers have visited pa.gov/consumer and hundreds of Pennsylvanians have called 1-866-PACOMPLAINT or emailed [email protected] seeking assistance. The centralized tools make it easier than ever to report scams, resolve issues, and get connected directly to the appropriate state agency - whether the concern involves insurance, lending, utilities, or financial exploitation.

The initiative connects consumers with agencies including:

• Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) - Protecting against financial exploitation, predatory lending, and banking issues.
• Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) - Resolving disputes over claims, coverage, and unfair insurance practices.
• Other agencies regulating utilities, student loans, and professional licensing.

The Shapiro Administration is also strengthening protections against emerging digital threats. Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro launched a multi-agency AI Literacy Toolkit to help Pennsylvanians safely use artificial intelligence and created an AI Enforcement Task Force to investigate AI companion bots that unlawfully misrepresent themselves as licensed professionals, coordinating enforcement efforts with the Office of Attorney General.

"National Consumer Protection Week is an opportunity for Pennsylvanians to learn about their rights and how to protect themselves from scams and fraud," said DoBS Secretary Wendy Spicher. "But it's also a reminder that help is readily available. With one call or click, consumers can get routed directly to the right agency for assistance."

In 2025 alone, DoBS managed more than 11,000 consumer inquiries and conducted over 300 outreach events reaching nearly 53,000 Pennsylvanians with financial education and investor protection information.

Additionally, PID delivered significant financial relief to consumers last year - saving Pennsylvanians nearly $133 million through regulatory actions, receiving more than 15,500 complaints, and conducting multiple examinations and investigations that resulted in refunds, payments, and credits. PID helps Pennsylvanians by:

• Fixing claim errors - If an insurance company wrongly denies or underpays a claim, PID steps in to ensure the consumer receives the money they're owed;
• Recovering stolen funds - If an agent takes payment for a policy but does not send it to the insurance company, PID will help get that money into the right hands;
• Refunding overcharges - If a company charges higher premiums than approved, PID ensures the consumers receive refunds; and
• Ensuring compliance with laws - PID enforces laws to prevent unfair insurance practices and ensures consumers aren't overcharged, inappropriately cancelled or denied coverage they should receive.

"PID is here to shield Pennsylvanians from deceptive business practices that impact their day-to-day lives," said PID Commissioner Michael Humphreys. "When problems arise, our team works to put money back in consumers' pockets - but we can only address issues we know about, so we encourage Pennsylvanians to file a complaint."

In addition to launching the centralized reporting system, Governor Shapiro and his Administration has strengthened consumer protections by:

• Requiring virtual currency transmitters to be licensed under Pennsylvania's Money Transmitter Act, closing a regulatory gap that previously left consumers unprotected.
• Establishing new criminal penalties for the use of artificial intelligence to create non-consensual forged digital likenesses, such as deepfakes and voice clones, used to commit fraud.
• Supporting investigations that led to the indictment of entities involved in a nationwide telemarketing insurance fraud scheme and revoking their licenses in Pennsylvania.

Learn more about DoBS' free, consumer outreach programs available, or contact us to request a program tailored to your specific needs. Visit the DoBS calendar of events to find an event near you. Learn more about DoBS at pa.gov/dobs or follow DoBS on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.

Pennsylvanians can also contact PID with any and all complaints related to insurance and can visit PID's Learn About Insurance page for tools and resources to help understand the different types of insurance and to make informed decisions through every stage of life. Follow PID on X and Facebook.

For more information about Pennsylvania's consumer protection laws and how to file a complaint, call 1-866-PACOMPLAINT, visit pa.gov/consumer, or email [email protected] to report financial, insurance, and consumer concerns.