Desert Messenger

8 www.DesertMessenger.com May 6, 2020 Be aware of COVID-19 scams CUSTOM TOOTH ARRANGEMENTS Life Time Warranty on Breakage Dental Laboratory Service, LLC Call: 623-444-4013 Goodyear, AZ http://www.DLSAZ.com FREE CONSULTATIONS Same Day Custom Premium Dentures and Partials • US Military Trained with 30 plus Years Experience • 1000's of Satisfied Customers • Extractions & Implants by Licensed AZ Dentist DENTURES Custom Premium Dentures The U.S. Census Bureau, in co- ordination with Federal, State and local health offi cials, will begin a phased restart of some 2020 Cen- sus fi eld operations in select geo- graphic areas this week. Updates on the operations re- suming by location are available at 2020census.gov. This webpage will be updated weekly as 2020 Census operations resume across the Unit- ed States. The health and safety of Census Bureau staff and the public is of the utmost importance. All return- ing staff will receive safety train- ing to observe social distancing protocols in the COVID-19 envi- ronment. For their safety and the safety of the public, the Census Bu- reau has ordered Personal Protec- tive Equipment (PPE) for all fi eld staff, including those that work in a fi eld offi ce. These materials will be secured and provided to staff prior to restarting operations. As part of the phased restart of operations, the Census Bureau will resume dropping off 2020 Census invitation packets at front doors of households in areas where the ma- jority of households do not receive mail at their home. This opera- Census to restart tion is also known as Update Leave. About 5% of households are count- ed in the Update Leave operation, where census workers will confi rm or update a household's physical lo- cation address and then leave a cen- sus questionnaire packet. The Census Bureau began deliver- ing census materials to these house- holds on March 15; however, this operation was suspended on March 18 because of the COVID-19 pan- demic. The Update Leave operation does not require interaction between households and a Census Bureau em- ployee and follows the most current federal health and safety guidelines. In states where we have resumed the Update Leave operation, we are also resuming fi ngerprinting for new hires to keep applicants mov- ing through the hiring process. ACO staff will begin returning to the offi ce as necessary to support the Update Leave operation, as well. The Associate Director for Decen- nial Programs leads the operational team making the decision to restart select operations within an ACO, driven by the assessment of career Census Bureau operational leader- ship; a thorough review of the op- erating status of a state, locality or tribal area; the key data that support that operating status as identifi ed by Federal, State and local guidance; and the ability of Census Bureau staff to safely resume operations, including the procurement of PPE. Households that receive the 2020 Census invitation packets are strong- ly encouraged to respond promptly to the 2020 Census using the cen- sus ID included in the questionnaire packet. People can respond online, by phone or by completing and re- turning the paper form by mail. Re- sponding with the census ID or by completing and returning the paper questionnaire helps ensure the best count of their community. For more information, please visit the 2020 Census COVID-19 opera- tional adjustments page. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the deferment of the federal income tax payment deadline from April 15 to July 15, 2020 to help taxpayers and busi- nesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns against tax fi ling deadline ex- tension scams that may compromise personal and fi nancial security and cause undue stress amidst this un- certain time. Many individuals and businesses are facing major life changes, like loss of income or a change in job, which makes fi ling taxes with ac- curate information and trustworthy resources especially important. Re- gardless of the amount owed, the deferment applies to all taxpayers automatically, including individuals, trusts and estates, corporations, and those self-employed without penal- ties or interest. Taxpayers who may need additional time to fi le past the updated July 15 deadline can re- quest an extension at irs.gov. "Scammers prey on headlines to take advantage of vulnerable in- dividuals," said Michael Sedio, VP and General Counsel at the Better Business Bureau. "At this time, tax- payers and businesses should use measures to stay informed and pro- tected against IRS impersonation scams surrounding the tax fi ling deadline extension that has been is- sued to alleviate those impacted by COVID-19." For additional assistance, the IRS unveiled the People First Initia- tive as part of the COVID-19 effort, which provides immediate relief, including suspensions to collections and limited enforcement actions, to help people facing uncertainty. Recognize IRS impersonation. The IRS will not make threats of arrest or deportation. The IRS may call or come to a home or business unan- nounced to collect a tax debt after fi rst contacting in writing. Scam- mers use a high sense of urgency to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information that can be used to obtain a job or acquire debt through tax identity theft. Phishing emails and IRS tax fi ling scams can be reported to BBB's Scam Tracker, or fi le a complaint with BBB. Report tax-related scams and phishing emails to phishing@irs. gov. Victims of tax identity theft may retrieve a personalized identity theft recovery plan from the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft. gov. For more information or to sched- ule an interview with a BBB spokes- person, please contact Kryistyna Hook at 928.302.3701 or kryisty- na.hook@@bbbcommunity.org. For more information regarding how BBB is supporting businesses throughout the Coronavirus (CO- VID-19) crisis, visit https://www. bbb.org/coronavirus-business/ and BBB.org/Coronavirus.

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