DoBS Announces October Consumer Financial Protection Events | Department of Banking and Securities | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - Investor Education and Consumer Outreach staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) will host a series of free educational events across Pennsylvania in October to help seniors and members of the public protect themselves from financial fraud, identity theft, and scams. All events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

DoBS also encourages Pennsylvanians to visit My Money, a new online resource designed to help consumers learn about, manage, and protect their finances. Available at pa.gov/MyMoney, the website brings together trusted financial education materials, fraud prevention resources, and consumer assistance information in a single, easy-to-use location.

The Department's Consumer Help Center also provides free help to anyone with a concern or complaint about Pennsylvania financial entities, services, or products. Consumers can contact the DoBS's Consumer Help Center at 1-800-PA-BANKS (1-800-722-2657) or [email protected] for assistance.

To request a customized presentation, contact the team at 717-214-5565 or via email at [email protected]. Visit the department's calendar of events to find an event near you. Pennsylvanians can also subscribe to the Department newsletter, or follow DoBS on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.

In 2025, 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. Since being launched in June 2026, the My Money website has been visited by more than 162,000 consumers.

Collectively, DoBS' consumer financial protection events, My Money website, and Consumer Help Center are integral to Governor Shapiro's broader consumer protection initiative which includes the statewide consumer protection hotline 1-866-PACOMPLAINT (1-866-722-6675), pa.gov/consumer website, [email protected] email address, new cryptocurrency safeguards, AI fraud protections, and regulatory actions that have returned millions to consumers.

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has taken action to strengthen consumer protections and help Pennsylvanians safeguard their finances 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.
• Launching an AI Literacy Toolkit to help Pennsylvanians safely and responsibly use artificial intelligence tools.
• Creating an AI Enforcement Task Force for formal complaints with a reporting process for AI-powered bots that may be engaging in unlicensed professional practice.
• Returning more than $54 million to consumers through regulatory actions by DoBS and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

With new laws, coordinated agency efforts, and strong consumer protections already in place, the Shapiro Administration continues to protect consumers through its work to raise awareness and safeguard residents across the Commonwealth.

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!

• Hosted by the Columbia-Montour Area Agency on Aging at Washies Playground, 117 Foust St., Danville (Montour County) on Oct. 6 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Open to members only. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Montour Senior Center. For additional information contact Tracy Schechterly at 570-784-9272 or [email protected].
• Klein Life - Travel Club, 10100 Jamison Ave., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Oct. 28 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact George Dillman at 717-705-2687 or [email protected].
• Hosted by New Courtland at the Philadelphia Senior Center-Allegheny, 1900 West Allegheny Ave., Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) on Oct. 29 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. For additional information contact Joe Duffey at 888-530-4913 or [email protected].
  
  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scams: Artificial Intelligence powers many daily tools, but scammers are now using it to supercharge traditional fraud. This presentation breaks down how AI scams work, how to spot the warning signs, and how to protect your money.

• Hosted by the Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Tioga Counties Area Agency on Aging at the Towanda ALC, Colonial Towers/Terrace Apartments, 131 Colonial Drive, Towanda (Bradford County) on Oct. 7 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Deena Mize at 570-265-6121 or [email protected].
• Hosted by the Luzerne County Office of Aging at the Charles T. Adams Active Adult Center, 5 East Market St., Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on Oct. 9 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Maria Linso at 570-825-3484 or [email protected].
• Hosted by the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania at the Scranton Senior Community Center, Oppenheim Center for the Arts, 1004 Jackson St., Scranton (Lackawanna County) on Oct. 21 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Amy Kazmierski at 570-961-1592 ext. 102 or [email protected].
• Hosted by Blair Senior Services, Inc., Area Agency on Aging at the Northern Blair Senior Center, 505 3rd St., Tyrone (Blair County) on Oct. 22 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Open to members of the public who are 60 and over. For additional information contact Tina Fultz at 814-684-7853 or [email protected].
• Hosted by Blair Senior Services, Inc. at the Southern Blair Senior Center, 15229 Dunnings Highway, East Freedom (Blair County) on Oct. 23 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Karen Kelley at 814-317-5181 or [email protected].
• Hosted by MJRSC - The Care Network at the Lewistown Senior Center, 515B Knepp Ave., Lewistown (Mifflin County) on Oct. 27 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Jen Feathers at 717-242-1036 or [email protected].
  

FOR LIMITED AUDIENCES

Preparing for Retirement: A Guide to Financial Security and Fraud Prevention: Retirement should be a time of peace and financial security. Unfortunately, this is also a time when many people become targets for sophisticated scams. Fraudsters exploit trust, emotional connections, and a lack of digital literacy to steal hard-earned savings. This presentation covers the most common scams, their red flags, and the critical steps you can take to protect your assets and peace of mind. We will also explore the importance of building and verifying your financial team, as well as discussing real-world scam methods like Ponzi schemes and what to look out for at so-called "free lunch" seminars.

• Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System 2026 Pre-Retirement Seminar, DuBois Country Club, 8 Lakeside Ave., DuBois (Clearfield County) on Oct. 3 at 10:30 AM. Open to conference attendees only. For additional information contact Vicki Long at 717-425-5527 or [email protected].

Banking in the 21^st 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 Public Utility Commission (PUC), Human Resource Office: Virtual "Lunch and Learn" session on Oct. 8 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for PUC employees only. For additional information contact Stephen Colantuono at 717-787-8729 or [email protected].

Cybersecurity: Keeping Yourself Safe Online: Whether you are young or old, 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.

• Hosted by the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on Oct. 22 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM via Zoom. Open to Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter members only. For additional information contact Adara Combs at [email protected] or Sandra Becks at [email protected].

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