Banking and Securities Department Offers Investment Fraud Bingo Program to Help Senior Citizens Protect Their Money

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Banking and Securities' Investor Education program is offering senior citizen groups an innovative and fun way to help their members learn how to protect their money from unsuitable investments and financial scams through a twist on a favorite old game, called Investment Fraud Bingo. 

"You play the game just like you would regular Bingo but with an added twist," says Tina Kotsalos, the department's Director of Investor Education and Consumer Outreach. "Each time the game caller announces a square, participants read aloud an accompanying investment protection message found on their bingo card. If they have filled an entire row, the winner shouts 'Fraud Bingo!'"

Players learn how to detect investment fraud by identifying common "red flags," local scams affecting their own city or town, and techniques to protect themselves from this financial abuse.

The Investor Education program can accommodate groups of 15 or more for Investment Fraud Bingo free of charge to the sponsoring group. Interested parties can call the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities at 717-783-4247 or email [email protected] for more information.

Groups can also download instructions and generate Investment Fraud Bingo cards to play on their own from the department's website (Access software required): www.dobs.pa.gov/Consumers/Investor%20Ed/Pages/Programs-Offered.aspx

Investment Fraud Bingo is being offered in partnership with AARP's Consumer Issues Task Force.

Investors can make inquiries about financial services or products or file a complaint regarding unfair, unsuitable, or illegal financial transactions by contacting the Department of Banking and Securities online at www.dobs.pa.gov or by calling 1-800-PA-BANKS (800-722-2657).

Media contact: Ed Novak, 717-783-4721

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us