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Secretary of State Todd Rokita has selected Fort Wayne, Indiana as the next community to host a "Protect Your Pockets" workshop on Saturday, October 28, 2006. The free workshop will be held at the Andorfer Commons on the Indiana Tech campus from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will focus on avoiding investment fraud, investor basics, retirement planning and creating a personal budget.

The "Protect Your Pockets" workshops are an important component of the Indiana Investment Watch program recently developed by the Secretary of State's office, which regulates securities in the state and can inform investors whether or not an investment is legitimate. Funding for workshops will come from the state's securities enforcement fund, which contains money collected from court settlements in securities fraud cases.

"Nearly two-thirds of Indiana adults have little or no knowledge about investing and fraudulent schemes," Rokita said. "The first step in protecting yourself is to be an educated investor. If we achieve that, we can prevent con artists from stealing Hoosiers' hard-earned money."

Rokita and other financial experts will speak at the workshop and teach community members practical, common sense ways to avoid scams and choose products and services that meet their financial goals.

To register or find out more information about the "Protect Your Pockets" workshop in Fort Wayne, IN on October 28, 2006 go online to www.IndianaInvestmentWatch.com or call toll-free 1-800-223-8791.

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