During the height of tax season, the Internal Revenue Service warns the public about a new scam targeting senior citizens, particularly with little or no income and no tax-filing requirement.

The scheme promises such seniors tax refunds or nonexistent stimulus payments under the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which is originally intended to relieve students and parents from college expenses. Con artists would falsely claim that refunds are available even if the victim went to school decades ago. The IRS has also seen a variation of this scheme claiming that college credit is available to compensate people for taxes on groceries. The scheme can be costly for victims, as scammers charge exorbitant fees to file these claims.

"This is a disgraceful effort by scam artists to take advantage of people by giving them false hopes of a nonexistent refund," said IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman. "We want to warn innocent taxpayers about this new scheme before more people get trapped."

As regular as clockwork, a crisis over oil supply and prices can spark turmoil, with political opponents to incumbent presidents promising to deliver a drastically reduced price.

In 1980, the shortage of gas supplies caused infamous long lines at petrol stations nationwide and played a role in making President Jimmy Carter a one-term president. In today's political scene, presidential candidate Newt Gingrich confidently promises to reduce gas prices to $2.50 a gallon if elected president.

The truth is that no politician has control over reducing gas prices within the immediate future. This is because the U.S. does not produce sufficient amounts of oil domestically, and is largely dependent on foreign oil produced in the Middle East. The price of foreign oil represents some 76 percent of the cost of a gallon of gas. Gas prices in America therefore will remain vulnerable to the ebb and flow of Middle Eastern oil prices.

The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce (M-DCC) has appointed its newest chairmen, Ricardo Forbes, who is currently corporate vice president and chief diversity officer at Baptist Health South Florida.

"It is a great honor and responsibility to take over as chairman of the Miami-Dade chamber," said Forbes at his installation ceremony on Tuesday, February 28. "These next two years, we will build on its past leaders' great work and broaden our economic mark on South Florida through inclusion, partnership and collaboration."

As chief diversity officer at Baptist Health, Forbes has brought national recognition to the hospital's diversity programs and policies, spearheading hiring and developing retention programs for its 15,000 employees. The M-DCC hopes his appointment will help broaden the impact of the chamber's minority-owned businesses on South Florida's recovering economy.

"This is a critical time for our chamber," said Bill Diggs, chamber president & CEO. "With the continued growth of the Miami skyline, the Port of Miami projects moving forward, plus the Marlins ballpark opening, there should be plenty of opportunities for South Florida's black businesses. But in order for that to happen, we must continue to be the strong, advocate chamber that we are. Mr. Forbes has a great reputation in this community, and I'm confident he will continue to forge key relationships benefitting our members.

Founded in 1974, the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce has been a key champion of minority-own businesses in South Florida, providing networking, resources, and training programs to its members.

Tax season is now upon us, with its usual flurry of paperwork. For Broward County taxpayers however, there is a new website that may help streamline the process.

Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division has launched a new website, Broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury, to help taxpayers find information and file property, local business, tangible personal property and tourist development tax documents online.

To pay your taxes, just select the tax form you want to file from the left-side menu label "What do you want to do." The links will lead you to an online system where you can file your own tax forms. If you need more information before filing, explore the options available under the right-side menu labeled "What do you want to know."

"Our goal with this new website is to make it easier for everyone to be able to access information quickly and to understand what the requirements are for certain Broward County transactions, how they can be completed most conveniently, and what the fees are," said director Sue Baldwin. "This website offers all our customers, local and long distance, a new level of convenience."