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    Shapiro Administration Announces November Consumer Financial Protection Events to Help Pennsylvanians Save Money, Invest Wisely, Recognize Scams, and Avoid Identity Theft

    DoBS is offering free public events throughout November. Visit the department's calendar of eve

     

    Additionally, more than 232,000 consumers have visited the new My Money website that was launched this summer — providing a single destination for financial education, fraud prevention, and money management resources to help Pennsylvanians protect their hard-earned money. 

     

    DoBS’ Consumer Help Center assists consumers with concerns about financial entities.

    October 27, 2026

    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 November to help veterans, 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. With Veterans Day being observed on November 11, veterans are encouraged to check out the financial resources for military and veterans on the My Money website. 

    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 Consumer Help Center at 1-800-PA-BANKS (1-800-722-2657) or ra-pabanking@pa.gov for assistance.

    To request a customized presentation, contact the Outreach team at 717-214-5565 or informed@pa.gov. Visit the department's calendar of events to find an event near you. Pennsylvanians can also subscribe to the Department’s 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 232,000 consumers. 

    Collectively, DoBS’ consumer financial protection events, My Money website, and Consumer Help Center are integral to Governor Josh Shapiro’s broader consumer protection initiative, which includes the statewide consumer protection hotline 1-866-PACOMPLAINT (1-866-722-6675), pa.gov/consumer website, consumer@pa.gov 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.

    FOR VETERANS 

    Expos: DoBS will provide free, non-commercial, consumer protection and investor education materials and publications.

    • Rep. Jamie Walsh's Veterans Recognition Ceremony and Expo: Misericordia University, 301 Lake St., Dallas (Luzerne County) on Nov. 7 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Open to veterans and their family members. For additional information contact Cherie Davis at 570-359-2138 or Cdavis@pahousegop.com. 
    • Schuylkill Community Action Veterans Awareness Day: Alvernia University Pottsville College Towne, 500 Progress Ave., Pottsville (Schuylkill County) on Nov. 20 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Open to veterans and their family members. To register, contact Schuylkill Community Action at 570-622-1995 or www.schuylkillcommunityaction.com.

    EVENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS

    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 LIFE Geisinger Schuylkill at the Frackville Flats Senior Apartments, 14 N. Nice St., Frackville (Schuylkill County) on Nov. 3 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Melissa Schultz at 570-984-2051 or maschultz2@geisinger.edu.  
    • Hosted by LIFE Geisinger Schuylkill at the Miners Loft Senior Apartments, 2 Lewis St., Minersville (Schuylkill County) on Nov. 3 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Melissa Schultz at 570-984-2051 or maschultz2@geisinger.edu.  
    • Hosted by MJRSC-The Care Network at the Lewistown Senior Center, 515B Knepp Ave., Lewistown (Mifflin County) on Nov. 5 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Jen Feathers at 717-242-1036 or lewistownctr@mymjrsc.com.  
    • Hosted by the Blair County Department of Social Services at the Blair County Department of Social Services, H.O.P.E. Drop-In, 711 9th Ave., Altoona (Blair County) on Nov. 9 from 1:15 PM to 2:45 PM. Open to the public. For additional information contact Nikki McHugh at 814-693-3023 or nmchugh@blaircountypa.gov.  
    • Hosted by New Courtland at the Philadelphia Senior Center – Allegheny (Philadelphia County) on Nov. 12 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Open to residents only. For additional information contact Barbara Jackson at 888-530-4913 or info@newcourtland.org.

    Cybersecurity – Tips for Online Shopping: Online shopping has become very popular. Criminals know this and are primed and ready to take advantage of our generosity. They’ve honed and perfected their skills with ways to gather your personal information, steal your identity, and your hard-earned money. This presentation also provides tips for protecting your personal information while shopping safely online!

    • Hosted by the Area Agency on Aging Luzerne/Wyoming Counties at the Charles T. Adams Active Adult Center, 5 East Market St., Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) on Nov. 6 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Maria Linso at 570-825-3484 or Maria.Linso@luzernecounty.org. 
    • Hosted by the Middletown Senior Citizens Association, 2142 Trenton Road, Levittown (Bucks County) on Nov. 13 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Open to members only. For additional information contact Elisabeth Ginder at 215-945-2920 or Dir.msca@gmail.com.

    Top Scams and How to Avoid Them: Every day, people are 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.

    • Hosted by MJRSC – The Care Network at the McAlisterville Community Senior Center, 158 Lions Den Drive, McAlisterville (Juniata County) on Nov. 16 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Open to the public. For additional information contact Carrie Noss at 717-463-3588 or mcalistervillectr@mymjrsc.com.

    Spending Plans - Budgeting for Your New Year Goals: This presentation focuses on the need for a spending plan so that people can achieve their financial goals. We 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 in order to ensure that you can stay on track.

    • Hosted by the Easton Area Public Library (Northampton County) on Nov. 17 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (virtually). Open to the public. For additional information and to register, contact David Davis at 610-258-2917 or davidd@eastonpl.org.

    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 Advocacy Alliance at 226 East Independence St., Shamokin (Northumberland County) on Nov. 19 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Open to program members only. For additional information contact Valerie Auman at 570-903-1647 or va@theadvocacyalliance.org. 

    FOR LIMITED AUDIENCES

    Navigating Personal Finance: Banking, Credit, and Consumer Protection: A workshop designed to equip attendees with essential financial literacy and fraud-protection tools. The session provides practical guidance on everyday financial management while addressing scams and consumer risks. 

    • Hosted by St. Luke’s Nurse-Family Partnership, 1110 St. Luke’s Way, Allentown (Lehigh County) on Nov. 6from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Open to St. Luke's Nurse-Family Partnership only. For additional information contact Kelly Berk at 484-658-0706 or Kelly.Berk@sluhn.org. 

    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 PA Office of Administration’s Bureau of Employee Benefits (Dauphin County) on Nov. 18 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (virtually). Open to Commonwealth employees only. For additional information contact Tim Pucino at tpucino@pa.gov.