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It's finally fall! Which means, we are right around the corner from the holiday season, also known as scam season. Speaking of scams, this newsletter issue spotlights a few recent scams in the mail and online. As always, you can also find information on upcoming webinars, available resources, enrollment for FAFSA, and much more! 

As a reminder, please share with us any highlights, updates, or events you would like to share with the more than 23,000 people receiving the WFEN updates. When you have something you'd like to share with the network via this monthly email update - please send it to [email protected] <[email protected]%20> with the subject line "Proposed WFEN content." 



If you’re not already following DFI’s social media accounts, please do! We’re working to grow our networks in addition to promoting your great work. 


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* *Instagram:* [link removed] [ [link removed] ]
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* *YouTube: *[link removed] [ [link removed] ]
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* *Bluesky: *[link removed] [ [link removed] ]


As a reminder, DFI's outreach coordinator Nathan Spiecker provides financial education workshops statewide - in both English and Spanish! If you are looking for someone to help provide outreach in your community, contact Nathan at [email protected] or fill out a presentation request form [ [link removed] ].


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*Financial Education Public-Private Partnership (FEPPP) Webinar Series *

FEPPP

Every Person Has a Story: A Financial Webinar Series for Educators

FEPPP has launched their new webinar series for educators! Washington educators are invited to a dynamic three-part webinar series designed to empower your financial education in the classroom. 

Upcoming webinar:

Financial Inclusion in Action: Unlocking Credit Union Resources for Educators

Dec. 1 @ 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Register [ [link removed] ]
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*WA529 Enrollment is Now Open!*

*WA529*

Why save for your child's future education? Washington college graduates average nearly $24,000 in student loans that often delay plans like buying a home, starting a family, or building savings. Saving early can reduce or eliminate the need to borrow. 

Learn more about WA529 by visiting their website [ [link removed] ] and get started on your child's future!

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*Office of State Treasurer Financial Wellness 101 Workshops*

financial wellness series

In partnership with WorkSource of Thurston County [ [link removed] ], the Office of the State Treasurer provides financial Wellness one-on-one workshops in an effort to enhance financial education and empower individuals in Washington. These workshops educate participants on financial goal setting, budgeting, saving, credit management, and identity theft prevention and awareness. Attendees can participate either in person at WorkSource of Thurston County or online, making it accessible to people across the state. By equipping individuals with essential financial knowledge this partnership contributes to building a financially resilient community.

November webinars:

Financial Wellness 101 - Part B: Credit & Debt

Nov. 10 @ 9 - 11 a.m.

Online [ [link removed] ]

Financial Wellness 101 - Part C: Consumer Cautions

Nov. 17 @ 9 - 11 a.m.

Online [ [link removed] ]
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*The 2026-27 FAFSA Form is Open!*

FAFSA

The 2026–27 "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA®) form is now available to everyone. You can complete the form to apply for financial aid for attendance at college or career school between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.

Visit the Federal Student Aid website [ [link removed] ] to learn more on how to apply and resources that are available to use.  

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*Webinar: Overview and Updates for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)*

PSLF

The Washington State Office of the Student Loan Advocate is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 12 - 1:30 p.m. It is an overview and update on the PSLF program.

Have you heard about the PSLF program, but are not sure if you qualify? Do you want to learn more about how other student loan changes and updates impact PSLF? 

In this webinar, you'll get an overview of the PSLF program, including:


* Steps to apply and stay eligible for PSLF.
* Using Studentaid.gov to track your PSLF progress.
* How the PSLF Buyback program works.
* The impacts of recent federal legislation and rulemaking on PSLF.

Register today! [ [link removed] ]

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*Financial Empowerment Network (FEN) Workshop Series*

*fen workshops*

Did you miss FEN's summer workshop series this year? No worries! Catch up on all three webinars on their YouTube channel:


* Credit 101: The Basics, The Myths, and the Moves [ [link removed] ]
* Understanding Collections: Know Your Rights & Options [ [link removed] ]
* Student Loan Repayment: Options, Forgiveness, and What's New in 2025 [ [link removed] ]
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*Be Aware of Fake Stamps!*

stamps

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) [ [link removed] ] is launching a public relations campaign to urge consumers to purchase stamps directly from the Postal Service or from retailers that have legitimate resale agreements with the organization. According to an article [ [link removed] ] on the Postal Service website, USPIS is combating a growing number of counterfeit postage scams that are causing the Postal Service to lose millions of dollars in revenue. Scammers are selling fake stamps on social media marketplaces, e-commerce websites and other sites, the article explains. Fraudsters are also reselling stolen goods at a deep discount and then shipping them using counterfeit postage.

Postal inspectors are working with online shopping platforms to identify sellers of counterfeit postage and seizing website domains related to the sale of counterfeit stamps. Along with the warning about fake postage, the campaign is also recommending that consumers be wary of work-from-home scams that traffic in counterfeit postage. These “jobs,” the Postal Service explains, involve reshipping packages of merchandise typically purchased with stolen credit cards. The person who takes the job will reship the packages using counterfeit shipping labels. 

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*Don't Fall for the Scam!*

*scammer*

In a blog post [ [link removed] ] released in October for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the nonprofit FightCybercrime.org noted some interesting stats: Despite the increased awareness of technical defenses against cybercrime (like strong passwords and multi-factor authentication [MFA]), U.S. financial losses to cybercrime have skyrocketed from $800 million in 2014 to $16.6 billion in 2024.

The blog post acknowledged that strong passwords and MFA can protect our accounts, devices, and systems. However, FightCybercrime.org continued, technical defenses won’t stop scams that target our humanity, regardless of how tech savvy we may be. The post explained that scammers aren't relying on code, but instead on psychology. They are taking advantage of the "loneliness crisis," leveraging loneliness, hope, and fear — even in people who aren't socially isolated but who lack a fulfilling, caring, intimate partner relationship.

If your community education work involves scam prevention education, you'll appreciate the blog post's insightful points, including, for example, that preventing cyber scams requires more than just another toolkit; it requires a holistic approach that actually teaches people how to think critically online. Check out [ [link removed] ] the many practical tips offered to help you teach internet literacy, normalize conversations about scams, build trauma-informed support systems for victims, and more. 

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