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The Canadian Taxman Goes Browsing on eBay
Kaneda2112 writes "A story in the Globe And Mail points out that the Canada Revenue Agency is now trolling eBay Canada for high volume sellers — looking to make sure eBay's biggest users are accurately reporting their income. They've successfully gotten a court order for the names, addresses, and other personal information for that website's biggest users. 'Canadians spend about $5-billion online each year and eBay is by far the largest electronic marketplace, accounting for about a quarter of the total sales. The site was visited by nearly 11 million Canadians in August, according to company figures. The CRA said in court filings that it is targeting people who qualified for eBay's PowerSeller program in 2004 and 2005. Only top eBay sellers can qualify for the program, which provides benefits to members. Those benefits include prioritized customer service, special promotions and sales tips.'"
And while they're at it, perhaps they could investigate some of the rampant fraud on eBay.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
BLAME CANADA!!
Will the almighty tax collector know if eBay has told them everything? I hope eBay sets up a user database system that looks like a real system but in reality is not showing the entire picture.
I live in Canada and I am chocked by taxes, so I try to do everything in my power to avoid paying as much taxes as possible, it is my civil duty in fact to prevent the government from making me poor, so I wouldn't have to ask the gov't for help, which I do not. It is also important to prevent the gov't from getting all that money, so it would have to deal with what it can get it's hands on, making the gov't realize that they have to be efficient. Can you say I live in Toronto and I am majorly pissed off at the local municipalities? 7.5 Billion dollars a year in property and other taxes for the city and we still are on a verge of bankrupcy as a city with a mayor, who said explicitely that there are no other ways to deal with the problem but to raise taxes. This is an NDP mayor, I hope he chockes, honestly. Maybe then we'll be able to get someone in who'll dismantle the unions and will finally not have to pay $30/hour per union worker sitting on their asses. I want private garbage collection - this will save money.
Of-course the tax man in this article is a fed (or maybe provincial,) looking at income. Well, shiiiite, what, did they build eBay or smth? You know what will happen if this goes through? eBay will lose lot's of sellers who will go to other places, like craig's list. Well maybe finally we'll have more than one auction house on line.
You can't handle the truth.