Our Events

News and photos about Consumer Action's recent activities and events.

• California Privacy Initiative webinar explains privacy rights
  Consumer Action hosted a webinar last month about how Californians can exercise their rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
• Webinar explores the impact of COVID on small businesses
  To shed light on the ways COVID-19 has impacted the small business landscape in the U.S. and to better understand what recovery for these businesses will look like, Consumer Action hosted a webinar: “From Relief to Recovery: COVID-19 and the Impact on Small Businesses.”
• Debt and debt collection are the focus of recent webinar
  In February, Consumer Action presented “Kitchen Table Economics: Dealing with debt and debt collection,” a webinar that covered recently implemented new rules for collectors along with debt demographics, debtors’ rights and the importance of getting control of your finances.
• Consumer Action hosts webinar on housing insecurity in America
  Consumer Action hosted a webinar on Nov. 17 to bring attention to the huge number of households that are housing insecure due to the economic fallout from the pandemic.
• Webinar guest speakers discuss credit reporting industry findings, flaws
  Consumer Action concluded a year of robust educational programming with its Dec. 7 webinar on what consumer advocates should know about credit reports and scores in a pandemic economy.
• Advice for safeguarding financial data
  As consumers began checking their budgeting apps to plan for holiday expenses, Consumer Action ramped up its financial data privacy education efforts. The organization offered two webinars—"Share Financial Data with Care" and "The Role of Data Networks in the FinTech Ecosystem."
• Webinar explores how inaccurate private data leads to loss of SSI benefits
  Consumer Action webinar “How Inaccurate Data Leads to Loss of SSI Benefits: What advocates should know,” alerted participants to a critical flaw in the eligibility verification process that is causing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants and recipients to be denied benefits.
• Webinar panelists dispel COVID vaccine misinformation
  Consumer Action held a highly successful train-the-trainer webinar, The truth about COVID-19 vaccines: Distinguishing between vaccine fact and fiction, in September. Nearly 200 people attended the webinar live, and close to 700 had viewed the recording on our YouTube channel as of mid-October.
• Consumer Action salutes 10 with special recognition certificates
  Over the years, Consumer Action has celebrated its birthday with an awards ceremony at which many deserving people and groups have been honored with our Consumer Excellence Awards
• November to mark five decades of consumer empowerment
  Consumer Action has been fighting the good fight since 1971, and on Tuesday, Nov. 16, we will celebrate five decades of consumer education and advocacy and reflect on what we, and the consumer protection movement as a whole, have achieved in these 50 years. We’ll also take a look at where we can build on past successes and break new ground.
• Consumer Action hosts webinar on Emergency Broadband Benefit
  The webinar was attended by 212 staff members of community agencies.
• Webinar explores impact of COVID-19 on retirement savings
  The retirement savings webinar, funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and led by Consumer Action’s Outreach team, drew 160 attendees.
• Webinar explores the rise of contactless payments
  Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers have begun to see contactless payments as a safer way to pay, without the fears that come with touching “germ-y” cash and PIN pads. Even after health-related concerns subside, this increasingly popular payment option is likely to stick around.
• Millions go hungry during COVID-19
  Consumer Action’s webinar on how the coronavirus has impacted the crisis.
• Keeping individuals, families housed amid an “eviction tsunami”
  Consumer Action's first webinar of the year couldn't have come at a better time: The Jan. 26 virtual event focused on the looming threat of an eviction crisis, which populations are most impacted by evictions, and how eviction moratoriums and financial assistance programs can help tenants remain housed.
• Navigating children’s and teens’ mental health, privacy in pandemic
  

  In response to nationwide school closures, ramped-up use of online schooling, and rising stress levels among families working and learning under one roof, Consumer Action invited four experts in children’s privacy and psychology to speak at its timely Nov. 17 webinar: “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents, and How to Protect Children’s Privacy Online.” A recording of the free webinar can be viewed here.

• Trapped in a pandemic: Domestic violence and financial abuse
  

  “What you may not know is that 65% of all murder-suicides are perpetrated by intimate partners, which is shocking and terrifying,” Gretchen Shaw, deputy director of the survivor-led National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), stated during Consumer Action’s “Domestic violence and financial abuse during COVID-19” webinar on Oct. 6, which was attended and watched by 689 viewers. Shaw was one of two speakers at the webinar, including attorney Maclen Stanley, who specializes in pursuing claims of sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

• Health is Wealth promotes affordable, transparent health care
  Consumer Action celebrated 49 years of consumer successes during its annual convening and awards ceremony, held in late September via a series of virtual panels and an award ceremony, with advocates, allies and experts from the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors participating.
• Lost your job in the pandemic? You’re not alone
  Consumer Action invited two experts from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce to speak at its Sept. 9 webinar: “Tracking the COVID-19 Economic Devastation: Workers facing job losses, and education and training strategies for recovery.”
• Estate Planning: Getting your affairs in order in the age of COVID
  Over 275 community-based organizations across the U.S. attended the webinar, which featured guest speaker David Godfrey, senior attorney for the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging.
• Protecting yourself from cons in the age of COVID
  Consumer Action trainers Nelson Santiago and Linda Williams brought together frontline consumer advocates for a timely webinar on “COVID-19 Scams and Healthcare Fraud.”
• Consumer Action to host financial technology (FinTech) trainings
  
• National Consumer Empowerment Conference tackles the tough issues
  More than 120 financial education coaches from community-based organizations, advocates, policymakers and financial industry reps gathered for the 10th annual National Consumer Empowerment Conference. Top community educators and subject matter experts spoke on timely topics ranging from the life-threateningly high cost of prescription drugs to data privacy challenges (including those introduced by largely unregulated new technologies) to the harmful long-term impact arrest records can have on individuals’ ability to secure jobs or housing.
• Ring, ring! Verizon and Consumer Action partner to combat robocalls
  Consumer Action partnered with Verizon to host a briefing on combatting the robocalls.
• More than a hundred turn out for money management trainings, despite the heat
  Our training in the East Coast was well received despite the heat
• Training addresses debt collection consumer rights
  Consumer Action trainers conducting two free train-the trainer roundtables on Debt Collection: Know your rights.
• Speaking truth to power at Consumer Action’s national conference
  Our National Consumer Empowerment Conference was a success
• For Consumer Action staff, no time to ‘sit back and unwind’
  Our Outreach staff have been busy conducting trainings in summer of 2018
• Consumer Action, NEFE make it easy to evaluate financial ed programs
  Director of consumer education at NEFE provided an overview of NEFE and its Evaluation Toolkit®
• Community event on job training and apprenticeship programs
  Outreach staff conducted training on the Job Training School module.
• Sponsors sought for our ninth annual conference
  Details on Consumer Action's 9th National Consumer Empowerment Conference in Nov 2018.
• Webinars explain new cross-border credit reporting tool
  Nova’s business development team and Consumer Action’s Nelson Santiago facilitate webinars on May 9.
• Consumer Action, Albert to host financial technology webinars
  
• Train-the-Trainer: Vocational and job training schools
  Our Outreach staff conducted training on "Finding the Right Job Training School" module
• Consumer Action’s 2017 National Consumer Empowerment Conference
  The article summed up the highlights and success of the 2-day conference held in Chicago in November.
• Webinars teach CBO partners how to help clients deal with debt collectors
  Consumer Action and the Consumer Relations Consortium (CRC) partnered webinars in June
• Debt collection trainings a big success
  Williams and Santiago conducted training on Debt Collection in Pennsylvania
• Consumer Action, Capital One host digital literacy skills webinars
  Consumer Action hosted two webinars on Future Edge
• Consumer Action, FICO co-host credit, financial counseling webinars
  
• Consumer Action, Capital One host online banking webinars
  Capital One partnered with Consumer Action in online banking webinars
• Consumer Empowerment Conference a huge success
  Different CBOs gathered for a multi-day National Consumer Empowerment Conference in Chicago in Nov 2016.
• Debt collection resources empower those who owe
  Consumer Action set up a train-the-trainer session, during which the staff and allies instructed participants from community-based organizations on how to best educate their clients on the issues surrounding debt collection.
• Coalition helps communities help vets
  Our Outreach staff educated veterans, and other military families on financial materials.
• Financial and retirement planning at your doorstep
  Webinars held in financial education by Consumer Action and NEFE
• Economic survival for servicemembers and veterans
  Veterans in San Diego County received survival guide training.
• Coast-to-coast trainings on IP transition and prepaid cards
  Consumer Action conducted trainings and workshops from Florida to the West Coast.
• Consumer Action held Prepaid Card training sessions in San Diego
  
• Online safety trainings held in Philly, Oakland
  Consumer Action Outreach team introduced the new "Put a Lock on It" publication and talked about online safety and privacy.
• Florida workshops on new phone network, Internet safety
  Consumer Action Outreach staff gave a presentation on IP transition and Internet Safety in South Florida.
• Attendees rave about Consumer Empowerment Conference
  A summary of our November 2015 National Consumer Empowerment Conference.
• Consumer Action hosts auto insurance trainings in three states
  Nelson Santiago of Consumer Action presented the Auto Insurance module in Alabama, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
• MoneyWi$e webinars teach about credit and identity theft
  
• Consumer Action tackles homeownership at LA workshop
  Nelson Santiago of Consumer Action gave a presentation on "Keys to Homeownership" educational module in Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.
• Consumer Action hosts community financial inclusion trainings
  Consumer Action hosted two financial inclusion trainings using the Checking and Savings Accounts: A wise choice educational module developed with a grant from the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment.
• Five and counting for Consumer Action’s National Conference
  A summary of sessions featured at our two-day invitation-only 2014 National Consumer Empowerment Conference in Chicago.
• Forced arbitration documentary premieres in San Francisco
  Santiago attended the screening of "Lost in the Fine Print" documentary.
• Serving America’s servicemembers, military families and veterans
  Our Outreach team are involved in educating veterans and servicemembers.
• Federal consumer watchdogs have day at the ‘Beach’
  Consumer advocates gathered to exchange information about debt related topics.
• Helping servicemembers and vets protect their finances
  Consumer Action introduced financial materials to help servicemembers and veterans.
• Financial inclusion travels to Texas, East Coast
  Consumer Action conducted training on money management.
• Good credit in Filipinotown
  The non-profit Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) invited Consumer Action’s Nelson Santiago to be part of its eight-session entreprenurial training program.
• Visiting Camp Pendleton for Military Saves Week
  Consumer Action joined the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign at the launch of its annual Military Saves week, held at the Camp Pendleton.
• Young Women CAN! manage money
  In early March, a member of Consumer Action’s outreach team participated in the Young Women CAN! Event hosted by Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA).
• MoneyWi$e combats recidivism with education
  Consumer Action's Community Outreach and Training Manager Linda Williams provided financial literacy skills training to incarcerated individuals.
• Educating seniors on health care fraud
  Consumer Action's Linda Williams reviewed portions of Consumer Action’s MoneyWi$e ID theft module to educate seniors on how to protect themselves against medical ID theft.
• National conference motivates, engages attendees
  An account of presentations held at the 2013 National Consumer Empowerment Conference.
• Prepping for success
  Kelly Armstrong wants to help change the lives of young inner-city men.
• MoneyWi$e educates young adults and shelter residents
  Audrey Perrott, Consumer Action’s associate director of outreach and training, in October shared financial literacy know-how at an emergency homeless shelter and a youth job-readiness program using Consumer Action’s MoneyWi$e financial education materials.
• MoneyWi$e spells financial literacy in the community
  During the second and third quarters of 2013, Consumer Action’s Outreach team trained San Francisco families, shelter residents and seniors on various MoneyWi$e educational modules.
• California groups learn about medical records privacy
  Consumer Action criss-crossed California to hold three roundtables to train community groups on its new Health Records Privacy in California educational module in summer 2013.
• Mid-Atlantic and California groups learn about electronic banking
  Two “Digital Dollars” regional meetings focusing on online and mobile banking were held recently in Washington, DC and California.
• Consumer Action hops aboard Wellness Bus Tour
  Helping people help themselves to consumer education along with health screenings, Consumer Action in May joined the Walgreens “Way to Well” Health Tour with AARP in Oakland for a ride around the Bay Area aboard a bus offering “wellness on wheels.”
• Financial watchdog now ‘barks’ in Spanish
  Santiago attended CFPB's field hearing in Los Angeles on CFPB's Spanish language website
• Helping over-50 entrepreneurs stay in business
  Consumer Action was on hand when the U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP teamed up to kick off National Mentor Month, targeted at “Encore Entrepreneurs” over the age of 50.
• Helping our local community partners
  An in-service training on credit reporting was done for the Eviction Defense Collaborative of San Francisco.
• Roundtable attendees learn and share solutions to financial illiteracy
  At the beginning of December, Consumer Action’s Outreach team of Linda Williams and Nelson Santiago led 2012’s final MoneyWi$e Best Practices roundtable in Austin, Texas.
• CBOs gather for briefing on social media privacy
  Consumer Action invited Bay Area representatives from our network of community-based organizations to join us in Oakland on Dec. 13 for a briefing on privacy and control for social media users.
• MoneyWi$e returns to Dallas
  Consumer Action’s outreach team returned to Dallas in October, providing financial literacy training via our MoneyWi$e program to 42 staff members from local community-based organizations, government agencies and academic institutions.
• Consumer Action empowers educators with new tools and techniques
  Counselors and advocates from community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country gathered for Consumer Action's National Consumer Empowerment Conference in Chicago in November.
• Consumer Action and Google collaborate on technology events
  Consumer Action has joined Google to educate local leaders of community-based organizations about technology tools to help nonprofits increase the impact of their work and how they can educate members of their communities about being smart and safe online.
• MoneyWi$e trains Richmond non-profits in financial literacy
  Capital One and Consumer Action co-hosted a MoneyWi$e training for community-based organization (CBO) staff in Richmond, Virginia, in July. The MoneyWi$e program is jointly sponsored by Consumer Action and Capital One.
• Cell Savvy summer in California
  Consumer Action conducted three Cell Phone Savvy train-the-trainer roundtables, in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Marina, California, for staff of community-based agencies. Consumer Action’s Empower U Project is funded by a grant from the California Consumer Protection Foundation.
• Fair housing training for community-based organizations held in Los Angeles
  Community agencies in Los Angeles attend Consumer Action's fair housing training
• ID Theft Prevention: A MoneyWi$e Training
  Moneywi$e training in Richmond, VA on July 17th 2012 was a success.
• Digital Dollars training in San Diego
  Southern California nonprofit attended Mobile Banking Training co-hosted by Consumer Action and Visa.
• MoneyWi$e on Display at Personal Finance Seminar
  Professionals at Personal Finance Seminar were introduced to the unique features and benefits of MoneyWi$e
• OIC Hosts a MoneyWi$e Roundtable in Nation’s Capital
  DC area non-profits and faith-based organizations treated to a full day of MoneyWi$e
• Fair Housing training held in Chicago
  
• Financial literacy roundtable for vets in DC
  Consumer Action’s Community Outreach and Training Manager, Linda Williams, traveled to Washington, DC in March to provide military personnel with the practical information they need to strengthen their money-management skills.
• Consumer Action and HUD jumpstart Fair Housing Month
  Consumer Action and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were in Atlanta to introduce their new jointly-developed training module, Recognizing and Fighting Housing Discrimination.
• Financial education outreach to San Diego military community
  San Diego's Military Saves Campaign brings Consumer Action and several financial empowerment resources to area military bases
• California LifeLine training in Oakland
  California LifeLine, the low-income telephone assistance program, was the focus of a Consumer Action train-the-trainer event in Oakland in March for community groups.
• Recognizing housing discrimination training in Oakland
  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Consumer Action co-hosted a Recognizing and Fighting Housing Discrimination Roundtable in Oakland for CBO staff, advocates and community leaders.
• Desert Schools hosts a MoneyWi$e training
  At the invitation of Desert Schools Federal Credit Union in Phoenix, Consumer Action provided a training on our MoneyWi$e materials to community agency staff. MoneyWi$e is a financial literacy partnership of Consumer Action and Capital One.
• Lifeline roundtable in San Bernardino
  Consumer Action held a train-the-trainer event in Southern California to help community groups learn more about the low-income telephone assistance program, California LifeLine.
• Consumer Action serves up financial empowerment to its network
  Financial counselors and advocates joined Consumer Action for its second annual National Financial Empowerment Conference in Chicago.
• Consumer Action and Microsoft team up to teach Internet safety
  Consumer Action and Microsoft co-hosted a roundtable in Milpitas, CA as part of their ongoing partnership to promote Internet security.
• WirelessED Training in Oakland
  Consumer Action's Wireless Education Project visited Oakland, CA to hold a community training.
• MoneyWi$e trains DC-area community based organizations
  The MoneyWi$e team held a training in DC metro area on Sept. 8, 2011 attended by close to 50 representatives of local community-based organizations.
• Empower U trainings in California
  Consumer Action teams up with California non-profits to train California CBO staff on our Empower U module covering phone and TV service.