Wolf Administration Announces Consumer Financial Protection Events for March

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Education and outreach staff from the Department of Banking and Securities will be meeting with senior citizens, professionals, students, and members of the public across Pennsylvania during the month of March to promote financial capability as part of Governor Tom Wolf's Consumer Financial Protection Initiative.

For Students

The presentation "Avoiding Scams and ID Theft" ? which helps consumers protect themselves from financial scams as well as informs victims of scams on how to get help ? will be offered to students at Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City (Westmoreland County) on March 23.

For General Audiences

The STaRT (Start Today and Retire Tomorrow) program ? which focuses on retirement planning, setting goals, and how to achieve those goals ? will be offered at the following locations:

• Albright Memorial Library, Community Room of Children's Library at 500-520 Vine Street in Scranton (Lackawanna County) on March 3 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• PA CareerLink Schuylkill County at 203 East Arch Street in Pottsville (Schuylkill County) on March 15 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
• PA CareerLink Lancaster County at 1016 North Charlotte Street in Lancaster (Lancaster County) on March 28 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
• PA CareerLink Bucks County at 1260 Veterans Highway in Bristol (Bucks County) on March 28 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

"Avoiding Scams and ID Theft" will also be offered at New Castle Public Library at 207 E. North Street in New Castle (Lawrence County) on March 28 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, and to members of the Lancaster Chapter (March 15) and Venango, Mercer, Clarion Chapter (March 16) of the Pennsylvania Association of Retired State Employees (PARSE).

For Professionals

The STaRT Program will be offered to members of the following professional groups and conference attendees. These events are NOT open to the public:

• PA CareerLink Luzerne County members of the Job Club and staff in Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on March 8
• Northeast PA Society of Human Resources Management (NEPA SHRM) in Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on March 9
• PA CareerLink Luzerne County staff in Hazleton (Luzerne County) on March 9

The webinar "Skimming Devices ? Helping to Protect Business and Consumers" ? a program to discuss illegal card skimmers will be presented to members of the PA Food Merchants Association on March 6.

Department staff will present "Elder Investment Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention Program" ? an innovative, research-based program that trains medical doctors, lawyers, social workers, senior services providers, and other partners to recognize and report financial abuse targeting their clients, especially those suffering from mild cognitive impairment ? to attendees at the PA Housing Finance Agency's Housing Services Forums in Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on March 15 and Lewisburg (Union County) on March 23.

The presentation "Senior$afe" ? which helps financial professionals identify the "red flags" of suspicious behavior of their clients and/or those close to their clients ? will be offered to staff members of the PA Credit Union Association in Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on March 21.

Department staff will offer the presentations "Banking Basics" ? an overview of how banks and credit unions work, including differences among types of accounts, what to do if you have past banking issues, and questions you should ask before opening an account ? and "Creating a Spending Plan" which outlines the differences between wants and needs; setting "SMART" goals; creating a spending plan; and putting the plan into action ? to program participants at the PA CareerLink Montgomery County in Norristown (Montgomery County) on March 21.

The department's Financial Services for Consumers and Business 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. There are a variety of free, non-commercial programs [PDF] and presentations [PDF] available, or a program can be tailored to a specific group's needs.

The department's Calendar of Events can be found online: http://bit.ly/1KIscBZ. Consumers and community groups can call 1-800-PA-BANKS or email [email protected] for more information. To learn more about the Consumer Financial Protection Initiative, search #GovWolfCFPI on Twitter. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ed Novak, 717-783-4721

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities