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 December to promote financial capability and provide investor education.
December 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
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 participants to commonly used tactics, what to look for and how to avoid them.
- PA CareerLink, 4800 East Street Road, Suite 50, Trevose (Bucks County) on Dec. 13 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL event. For more information contact Herb Bethea at 267-580-3501 or hberthea@buckscareerlink.org.
Spending Plans – A Road to Financial Success: This session focuses on the need for a spending plan so that people can achieve their financial goals. We will 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 to ensure that you can stay on track.
- Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill (Cumberland County) on Dec. 14 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This is an open event. For more information contact Amanda Scharrer at 717-761-3900 or ascharrer@cumberlandcountylibraries.org.
EVENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS
Reverse Mortgages – What Can You Expect?: Topics will include: what is a reverse mortgage, what will I need to qualify, what the procedures are for obtaining and retaining a reverse mortgage, financial requirements to obtain, alternative options to consider (such as a home equity line of credit) what to avoid, drawbacks, your obligations and how you can repay the debt. The overall consideration – is it right for me?
- Golden Connections Senior Community Center, 20 Gotham Place, Red Lion (York County) on Dec. 14 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. This event is open to members only. For more information contact Amanda Pina at 717-244-7229 or socialservices@gcccenter.com.
Avoiding Investment Scams: 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.
- Lower Nazareth Senior Community Center, 306 Butztown Road, Bethlehem (Northampton County) on Dec. 15 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. For more information contact Lyn Watson at 610-297-3464 or lwatson@norcopa.gov.
- Fraud Bingo: Join us for a fun and interactive gathering 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:
- Foster Grandparents of Central PA, 137 Silver Moon Lane, Lewisburg (Union County) on Dec. 7 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This event is open to members of the Foster Grandparents Program of Central PA. For more information contact Sarah Long at 570-374-9196 or slong@usaaa17.org.
- Chestnut Towers, 725 Chestnut St., Sunbury (Northumberland County) on Dec. 8 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. This event is open to residents only. For more information contact Melissa Corbin at 570-286-5885 or mcorbin@pahousegop.com.
- Lawrence County C.A.R.E.S Center, 708 W. Washington St., New Castle (Lawrence County) on Dec. 12 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This is a VIRTUAL event and is open to members of the C.A.R.E.S Center. For more information contact Amanda Andrews at 724-657-0226 ext.102 or amandaa@lawrencecountycares.com.
- Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, 2570 Boulevard of the Generals, Suite 124, Norristown (Montgomery County) on Dec. 12 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This event is open to athletes (members) only. For more information contact Jordan C. Schubert at 610-630-9450 ext. 236.
LEGISLATIVE EXPOS AND EVENTS
Outreach staff will also be available at the following events:
- Rep. Milou Mackenzie’s $camJam: DeSales University Center, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley (Lehigh County) on Dec. 8 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For more information contact Anna Stackhouse at 610-965-5830 or astackhouse@pahousegop.com.
- Butler County $camJam: Tanglewood Center, 10 Austin Ave., Lydora (Butler County) on Dec. 12 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For more information and to register, contact Sheriff Michael Slupe at 724-284-5255 or mslupe@co.butler.pa.us.
- $camJam with Swatara Police Department: Swatara Township Municipal Building, 599 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on Dec. 14 from 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM. For more information and to register, contact Chris Seiler at 717-564-2550 or cseiler@swatarapolice.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 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.
MEDIA CONTACT: Joan Nissley - 717-579-7347, DoBSComm@PA.gov
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