🚀 go-pugleaf

CRA Going After Ebay Sellers, and Similar Tax Swindlers

All the clowns in Deadmonton want more and more people
to know the truth about this cesspool.

News across Canada have carried the article below over past while.
Guess CRA will also be nailing second-hand dealers flogging on
kijiji,used[city] and barter businesses as well.
Maybe that is why some of the former sellers and barter boys
are now no longer listing their junk for sale on newsgroups -
because they got caught?

People will then have to ship their items out of Canada, and have
them sold in foreign countries, just to avoid paying the proper taxes?

Canadians who are high-volume sellers of products on the online 
eBay marketplace may find themselves being audited by the 
Canada Revenue Agency beginning this fall.

Revenue Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn said Thursday anyone who has 
sold products on the Web site could avoid audits, fines and penalties by 
voluntarily coming forward and declaring the revenue to the agency.

"Taxpayers should know that the tax laws that apply to traditional 
commerce apply in the same way to electronic commerce, like eBay selling," 
Mr. Blackburn said in a statement. "I strongly encourage eBay sellers, and 
for that matter, any taxpayer who has not already done so, to correct 
their tax affairs as soon as possible to avoid penalties or prosecution."

EBay Canada's head of marketplace development, Andrea Stairs, said the 
company had alerted all members affected by the outcome of a recent 
Federal Court of Canada decision prior to disclosing their account 
information to the CRA.
"To date, there have been no additional information requests from the 
CRA," Ms. Stairs said in a statement. For more information. 
http://www.ebay.ca/powersellerinfo.

The CRA reminded those who may have been flying under the radar that they 
can escape penalty and interest on overdue tax by coming forward under the 
Voluntary Disclosure Program, provided such action is initiated before the 
CRA launches any audit or other compliance act.
The agency says it will begin audits at the end of this summer.

From 2006 to 2008, eBay and the CRA clashed swords over disclosure of 
information on eBay's "PowerSellers" - those who transact at least 
US$1,000 a month in sales. 

eBay Canada balked at disclosing information it considered 
a "violation of our users' privacy," but after an appeal 
was denied the Federal Court of Canada forced it to release information on its 2004 and 2005 PowerSellers, effective Nov. 7, 2008.
Because Canada's tax system relies on voluntary compliance, "it's no 
surprise that income from eBay selling is taxable," said Jamie Golombek, 
vice-president of tax at CIBC Wealth. "Sellers who may be in trouble 
should approach the taxman before they come after you."
John Wonfor, national director of tax for BDO Dunwoody LLP, said the CRA 
is concerned only with professional e-commerce practioners, not 
individuals who may infrequently sell items such as used sofas just to get 
rid of them, usually at a loss. "You don't have to pay tax on a loss and 
you can't deduct it because it's personal use property, so it's a non 
event."

There are five levels of PowerSellers, with the top ones transacting 
US$150,000 a month, Mr. Wonfor said. "So there's substantial stuff going 
on."

Once the CRA got the information it demanded on the PowerSellers, it would 
check income tax and GST returns to see if they matched eBay activity. If 
there is a mismatch, the agency would begin audits.

"They're putting everyone on notice that they should come forward before we catch you," Mr. Wonfor said, "PowerSellers who have been reporting all along have nothing to worry about."

Michael Rice, a semi-retired PowerSeller and owner of Fenian Antiques in 
Saanichton, B.C., says he gives the CRA an income statement every year and 
pays GST and provincial sales tax on all transactions. But there are many 
on eBay still not following the rules, he said: "They're trying to fly 
under the radar and will get caught at some point." CRA 

Now CRA can go after RODD and similar unlicenced seondhand dealers.
CRA will start with "arbitrary assessments".

People like RODD, with all their houses and cars will get especially 
hard hit by CRA, who can now force ISPs and websites,such as
kijiji, ebay, usededmonton.com, and even edmonton.forsale.