Most citizens know what our country’s Secretary of State does.  Now that our former senator, John Kerry, holds that office, Massachusetts residents are even more likely to be aware of his work.

This Commonwealth has a Secretary of State, too: William Galvin.  I would lay odds that many, if not most, of my fellow citizens do not know what he does.

This lack of awareness is regrettable. That’s because so much of his work benefits us citizens, and senior citizens in particular.

Galvin has held the office since 1994. Now in his early sixties, he understands clearly the situations in which many older people find themselves. Among other achievements, he has made a special effort to ensure that we do not get cheated out of our money.

Last month, he issued subpoenas to fifteen financial institutions to discover if they may be violating rules that protect us all.  In doing so, he made clear that the subpoenas did not mean they had actually done anything wrong – – it’s an investigation to ensure they are abiding by state laws.

The New York Times devoted a whole column to Galvin’s action. The editors clearly judged it an important action by an official of our state.

In an action more directly benefiting older people, the Secretary last month ran a morning conference at the State House.  Its purpose was to “help seniors avoid fraudulent investments, and to provide the tools they need to protect their savings.”

The documents distributed to conference participants included a series of fourteen brochures. They are nicely designed for a variety of situations. Most important, they are filled with suggestions about how to avoid being fleeced by dishonest sellers.

For example, some cyber thieves will use emails to steal money from you.  The term “phishing” describes how they send emails to gather personal data for identity theft. Another word, “spoofing,” indicates ways of duplicating legitimate websites. This tactic is aimed at getting users to disclose personal information. One of the brochures gives eight helpful tips for avoiding scams of this sort.

Another brochure is entitled “Protect Yourself from the ‘Grandparent Scam.’” A grandparent may receive a late-night call from a “grandchild” who is in trouble and needs money right away.  Rather than responding quickly, the grandparent needs to take steps to verify the caller’s identity. (At this point, the caller will usually hang up.)

Other brochures are equally useful:  “10 Do’s and Don’ts for Investors;” “The Danger of Credit Cards;” “Purchasing Annuities” can serve to protect many of us less than sharp money handlers.

These publications are available to anyone who calls the Secretary of State’s office.  The number is 1-800-269-5428.

I think we are fortunate in having an advocate like Galvin acting in our behalf.  On the state level, he reminds me of Richard Cordray on the federal level.  If you read this column often, you may remember my previous mentions of Cordray, and of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that he now heads.

Some two weeks ago, he was finally approved by the United States Senate.  This happened after enough Republicans reluctantly agreed to accept him. Like Bill Galvin, he can be counted on to protect the rights of consumers.

Among his many achievements in the two years after President Obama first appointed him as director, Cordray managed a crackdown on abusive credit card tactics. This move produced an astounding payback of  $400 million for six million customers.

So, thanks to both levels of government, it is now not so easy to practice fraud on older people.  I hope that my age peers, and their supporters, take advantage of these resources.