The activity aimed to improve students' financial literacy, particularly regarding gold investment and the dangers of illegal online loans. The material on gold investment was delivered by Heri Susianto, Deputy Business Area Medan 2, Senior Vice President of PT Pegadaian (Persero) Medan, while the material on the dangers of illegal online loans was delivered by Manro Manrie Sipayung, Auditor of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) North Sumatra Representative Office.

In his presentation, Heri explained the importance of balancing wants and needs as well as consumption and investment from an early stage so that students can prepare for their financial future. “Investment and consumption must be balanced so that the future is more secure,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Manro explained the risks of illegal online loans and the steps that can be taken when someone has become trapped in them, starting from stopping new loans, evaluating and prioritizing debts, negotiating for relief, preparing a budget and seeking additional income, to reporting illegal online loan providers and obtaining legal or financial assistance.

One of the public lecture participants, Sifa Latifah, said that the activity provided an understanding of the dangers of illegal online loans as well as appropriate ways to invest for students who do not yet have their own income.

“From the public lecture, we came to understand the dangers of illegal online loans and how to invest properly as students when we do not yet have income of our own,” she said.

This activity supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) through improving students' financial literacy. In addition, the activity also contributes to SDGs 8, 16, and 17 through strengthening economic awareness, protecting the public from illegal financial practices, and collaboration between higher education institutions and the business sector.

Through this activity, the Faculty of Psychology USU and PT Pegadaian are expected to encourage students to become a generation that is wiser in managing finances and aware of the risks of illegal financial services.