Consumer Education and Outreach

Consumer Brochures & Resources

8 Tips for Financial Success (PDF)  / 8 Consejos para el éxito financier (PDF)

About the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (PDF) / Acerca el Departamento de Protección e Innovación Financiera de California (PDF)

Budget Worksheet (PDF)  / Hoja de trabajo de presupuesto (PDF)

Financial Tips for Women (PDF) / Consejos Financieros para las Mujeres (PDF)

Mobile App Investment Scams (PDF)

Protect Yourself From Fraud / Protéjase del fraude

Reduce Your Debt (PDF) / Reduzca su deuda (PDF)

Transferring Money Domestically & Abroad (PDF) / Transferencia de dinero nacional y al extranjero (PDF)

What You Need to Know About Payday Loans (PDF) / Lo que usted necesita saber sobre los préstamos de día de pago (PDF)

Consumer Awareness Education

Disaster Relief Resources

Glossary of Financial Terms / Glosario de términos financieros

Information to protect seniors

Seniors Against Investment Fraud (SAIF)

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation’s (DFPI) Seniors Against Investment Fraud (SAIF) program, established in July 2001, alerts and educates Californians over the age of 50 about financial and investment fraud, common scams, and unscrupulous sales practices that specifically target seniors. SAIF exists because seniors are prime targets for financial fraud and scams. The goal of the SAIF program is to empower seniors to make informed decisions about investments and finances. The SAIF message is disseminated through seminars and presentations at senior centers and other locations where seniors gather. For more information about our events, see our Events Calendar.

Please contact us or call 1-866-275-2677 for information about scheduling a SAIF presentation in your area. To order our education publications, email us at outreach@dfpi.ca.gov.

Reporting Elder Financial Abuse

If you want to report elder financial abuse, contact your local county APS Office. Abuse reports may also be made to you local law enforcement agency.

The following forms are to assist you in filing your report of suspected dependent adult or elder abuse. If you are employed by a financial institution, please complete form SOC 342. All other persons should complete form SOC 341.

Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse, SOC 341 (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)

Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Financial Abuse, SOC 342 (PDF)

Additional Resources:

Adult Protective Services – Information from the California Department of Social Services

Annuities – It’s Your Choice Video (California Department of Insurance)

Attorney General’s Citizen’s Guide to Preventing & Reporting Elder Abuse (PDF) – Available in English, Spanish, Chinese

Citizen’s Guide to Reverse Mortgages: Is One Right For You? (PDF) (California Bureau of Real Estate)

Citizen’s Guide to Preventing and Reporting Elder Abuse (PDF) (California Department of Justice)

Money Smart for Older Adults (FDIC/CFPB)

Preventing and Reporting Elder Financial Abuse

Protect the Elderly from Financial Exploitation by the American Bankers Association

Safe Banking for Seniors (ABA)

Securities Helpline for Seniors (FINRA)

ServeOurSenior.org (NASAA) – Tools for senior investors

State Controller’s Property Tax Postponement Program

Information for military service members

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is a federal statute that allows military members to suspend or postpone some civil obligations so that military members can devote their full attention to their duties. The SCRA is designed to protect active duty military members, as well as reservists and National Guardsmen, who are in active federal service. Some of the benefits under the SCRA may also extend to dependents of active duty military members.

Military Lending Act

The Military Lending Act (MLA), enacted in 2006 and implemented by the Department of Defense, protects the financial interests of active duty military and their families in certain credit transactions. The MLA limits the amount a creditor may charge, including interest and fees, for payday loans, auto title loans, tax refund anticipation loans, credit cards (starting in October 2017), and certain other credit products. For more information, see the MLA-related links below.

Additional Resources

Financial Protections for Service Members Basics (FDIC)

Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

What Are My Rights Under the Military Lending Act? (CFPB)

What Types of Loans Are Covered Under the Military Lending Act? (CFPB)

Complying With Recent Changes to the Military Lending Act Regulation (NCUA)

Protect Yourself From Fraud: Military Edition (3MB, PDF)

Personal Finance for Military Families

A Salute to Smart Investing (PDF)

Report issued by the Military Financial Protection Task Force (PDF)

Mortgage Education

Information for First-Time Homebuyers from the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)

CalHFA understands buying your first home is both a huge responsibility and a huge opportunity. Of course, before you leap into home-ownership, you should get prepared first. To prepare and get the most out of CalHFA’s loan programs and assistance, follow these easy steps.

– Am I Eligible?

– How to Apply

Contact CalHFA: 1-877-9-CalHFA

Additional Resources:

Info for First-Time Homebuyers

Always Read the Small Print (PDF) / Lea siempre la letra pequeña (PDF)

Mortgage Shopping Worksheet (PDF) / Hoja de trabajo comparación de hipotecas (PDF)

Path to Homeownership (PDF) / El camino a seguir para ser propietario de vivienda (Spanish, PDF) / 购房之路 (Chinese, PDF)

Protect Yourself from Fraud

Protect Yourself From Fraud (PDF) / Protéjase del fraude (PDF)

Common Financial Frauds and Scams (PDF) / Estafas y fraudes financieros comunes (PDF)

Investor Self-Defense (PDF) /  Autodefensa de los inversionistas (PDF)

Managing Financial Difficulties (PDF) / Manejo de dificultades financieras (PDF)

Ten Tips to Avoid Cyber Fraud (PDF) / Diez consejos para evitar el fraude cibernético (PDF)

Safeguarding Your Personal and Financial Information (PDF) / Protección de su información financiera y personal (PDF)

Financial Elder Abuse (PDF) / Abuso financiero a las personas de la tercera edad (PDF)

Licensees and Industries Regulated by the Department / Departamento de Supervisión de Empresas de California

Check Before You Invest (PDF) / Verifique y Investigue antes de invertir (PDF)

Agency Resources Guide (PDF) / Guia de agente recursos (PDF)