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Americans shocked by impact of new tax law

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WILKES-BARRE &#8212; As tax season gets underway, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is warning residents about fraudulent calls and scams from criminals impersonating IRS agents.The scammers often tell people they need to send money right away or risk arrest, but this is not how the IRS operates.&#8220;Scam artists are using new technology and high-pressure tactics to get people to give out personal information. One popular tactic, especially during tax season, is scam artists impersonating the IRS and trying to scare you into paying them thousands of dollars,&#8221; Shapiro said in a press release. &#8220;My office is here to protect you, help you avoid being scammed, and go after these scammers anywhere we find them.&#8221;As a taxpayer, Shapiro said it is essential that consumers are aware of this scam and the ways to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. If you keep your information secure on your computer, you are less likely to receive a call from a scam artist impersonating an IRS agent.The Office of Attorney General&#8217;s Bureau of Consumer Protection received 536 IRS scam complaints in 2018 &#8212; 15 complaints already in 2019. Here are some other valuable tips regarding this scam:&#8226; Use security software that updates automatically. Essential tools for keeping a secure computer include a firewall, virus and Malware protection, and file encryption for sensitive data.&#8226; Give personal information only over encrypted and trusted websites.&#8226; Use strong passwords and protect them.Shapiro also encouraged consumers to be wary of pursuing tax refund anticipation checks. These offers may seem like quick, easy money, but the companies offering them charge high interest rates and exorbitant fees off the full refund the taxpayer earned.Consumers who feel they have been victimized by this scam may file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection by visiting the website &#8212; www.attorneygeneral.gov &#8212; or by calling the office at 1-800-441-2555.Since scam calls are often initiated by robocalls, the Attorney General has been taking action against these unwanted calls. Last year, Shapiro led a coalition of 34 Attorneys General to ask the FCC to let phone companies do more to block illegal robocalling.Pa. report on child abuseproposes prevention planDepartment of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller this week released the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Fatality/Near Fatality Trend Analysis Report &#8212; a study of statewide child abuse fatality and near-fatality data from 2015 and 2016.The report outlines and analyzes data from these years and establishes recommendations to prevent child abuse fatalities and near-fatalities.&#8220;Every child deserves to live and grow up in a safe, nurturing home, and we firmly believe that one life lost as a result of child abuse is one too many,&#8221; Miller said. &#8220;We must learn from past child fatalities and near-fatalities that resulted from abuse so we are best prepared to understand child abuse and protect children around Pennsylvania. We will not accept the notion that there is nothing we could to do prevent abuse and protect children around Pennsylvania, and the recommendations in this report will help us create stronger, safer systems moving forward.&#8221;To review and learn from past incidents, the department convened a trend analysis team comprised of staff across multiple agencies, partners in the General Assembly and local government, and child welfare advocates.The team&#8217;s recommendations focus on improvements to the fatality and near-fatality review process, strengthened intervention programs, and legislative and policy changes.Recommendations included:&#8226; Establishing regional review teams and technical assistance networks to provide greater support that strengthens county fatality and near-fatality review teams.&#8226; Creating best practice guidelines and tools and enhancing training for county review teams.&#8226; Expanding education on fatality and near-fatality reviews to include the education system, health care providers, law enforcement, and behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment providers.&#8226; Researching effectiveness of existing supports like crisis hotlines, text-lines, and social media resources to evaluate if such resources should be expanded.&#8226; Exploring an alert system between health care providers and managed care organizations to monitor parent engagement, identify potential cases of abuse, and recognize when a referral is necessary.&#8226; Increasing availability of resources that educate on the signs of abuse and the importance of timely referrals to appropriate services.&#8226; Providing more resources for parents on healthy parenting at all stages of a child&#8217;s life.&#8226; Evaluating and enhancing policies pertaining to child abuse and neglect investigations, when to consult with a medical professional, and screening guidelines for county children and youth agencies.&#8226; Amending the Child Protective Services Law to allow for enhanced case management to identify potential future abuse and a streamlined review process that creates a more comprehensive assessment.Implementation of these recommendations will be considered and coordinated between other state agencies, the General Assembly, and partners in local government and law enforcement with assistance from advocates in related fields.For more information on how to identify and report child abuse, visit www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov.Official: Oral healthshould be a priorityHealth Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine this week encouraged all Pennsylvanians to take steps to care for their oral health and highlighted several goals established by the department to prevent oral disease and improve the overall health of residents.&#8220;Good oral health is an integral part of one&#8217;s physical, mental and social health,&#8221; Dr. Levine said. &#8220;Untreated dental disease can lead to serious health effects, such as pain, infection and tooth loss. We encourage all Pennsylvanians to have a dental provider who they see regularly so they can cure existing oral diseases and conditions, and prevent additional ones from occurring. Watching out for your oral health is truly a step to improve your overall health.&#8221;The department works with local community groups, associations and agencies to promote good oral health and encourage work toward improving oral health in Pennsylvania. Several goals have been established regarding access to oral health care and prevention, as outlined in the Oral Health Plan.Those goals include:&#8226; Increasing oral health prevention or care delivery programs.&#8226; Increasing sealant programs.&#8226; Increasing oral health education programs.&#8226; Access to Community Water Fluoridation.While more than 90 percent of Pennsylvanians are reported to have medical insurance, frequently only about one-third of that number have dental insurance. Dental health coverage is often available as part of private health insurance. The CHIP program provides for comprehensive dental coverage for children enrolled in it.For more information on oral health, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Bill O&#8217;Boyleboboyle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</shirttailMeta></div>

Capitol Roundup: Shapiro warns of fake IRS calls, scams as tax season begins