Investor Education and Consumer Outreach Programs
The Department empowers Pennsylvanians of all ages to build and protect their wealth. Through targeted education and expert resources, we help consumers make informed financial decisions while staying one step ahead of fraud.
Contact us today at informed@pa.gov to schedule an event in your area.
Stay one step ahead of fraudsters during this engaging, two-hour program. Tailored specifically for veterans and older adults, this event features a panel of guest speakers from across local and state agencies who offer tips on how to avoid scams and protect your assets. Sessions move quickly, blending expert advice with Fraud BINGO, a group-based game that teaches you how to recognize and report suspicious activity. Bring your family and friends to join the conversation on how to safeguard your finances.
A series of presentations delivered in your community, customized to the audience. Topics covered include:
- Cybersecurity
- Investing 101
- Investing 201
- Preparing for Retirement
- Avoiding Frauds and Scams
- Artificial Intelligence
- Banking Basics
- Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft
- Creating a Spending Plan
- Avoiding Investment Fraud
- Hiring an Investment Professional
A fun interactive program that helps players learn to spot and avoid fraud and scams by playing a familiar game: BINGO! Players gain practical tips to protect their assets and may even win a prize!
A series of live, in-person presentations to women’s groups, associations, and clubs by request. These sessions provide women with the materials and resources to feel confident and prepared to manage their finances.
Learn to recognize the subtle signs of elder financial abuse before it’s too late. Our innovative, research-backed training is designed for professionals (legal, medical, and social services) who work with high-risk clients, particularly those with cognitive decline.
An investor education program that teaches high school and college students to pursue financial goals and financial independence. The Save and Invest PA! program was recently updated to include topics that align with the new PDE Academic Standards, specifically related to Saving and Investing. The program can be presented to classes, clubs, and/or other groups.
Saving & Investing: An introduction to the basics of saving and investing. Topics include income, expenses, spending plans, and savings vehicles. This session will also cover the basic types of investments, including stocks, bonds, and investment funds.
Starting to Invest: Highlights the importance of investing and the power of compound interest. Students learn how to open and maintain investment accounts by identifying different types of investment accounts, strategies, and professionals. Students are provided with resources to research and verify investment professionals and investment opportunities.
Fraud Awareness: An overview of fraud and financial scams. Students will learn about different types of scams, common red flags, and the importance of protecting personal information. Students will also be provided with tools to research, verify, and report potential scams.
From High School to Higher Goals: This presentation introduces students to practical money-management strategies and encourages students to consider how spending and saving habits today will affect their future. Topics include spending plans, responsible credit use, understanding credit reports and scores, and protecting personal financial information.
Start Today and Retire Tomorrow
Most people are not saving enough for retirement! Many are not saving anything at all! STaRT is a retirement planning program that helps you determine what your retirement goals are and how to get there. No matter where you are in the timeline for retirement, it’s never too late to start.
We offer free and non-commercial consumer protection and investor education materials and publications at these legislative expos and community information fairs throughout the year.
This program is designed to address financial and investing challenges faced by members of the military, veterans and their families. Making $ense of Finance is made possible through the PA Military Finance Alliance, a multi-agency collaborative effort.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been part of our daily lives for decades. Scammers know this and are using it, too. They mix new AI tools with old tricks to steal your money. This presentation shows how AI scams work, how to spot warning signs, and how to stay safe.