Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
Found this in a locked thread above, thought maybe I should repost it here, in case anyone wants to make a comment:

Dear Community,

Here's an update on the Federal Court Decision involving Canada Revenue Agency and eBay.

"You may have recently read or heard about a recent Federal Court of Canada decision that may require eBay to release certain customer information regarding Canadian PowerSellers to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Please rest assured that eBay takes your privacy very seriously. We are continuing to seek out available and appropriate legal courses of action in this matter and will not release any information until we have further clarity.

Please also be aware that the court decision contemplates eBay releasing customer information of certain sellers that held PowerSeller status during the years of 2004 and 2005. Consequently, a change in your status at this time will not alter our information disclosure requirements.

As a member of the eBay online marketplace, and a seller that has achieved this milestone status, we want to assure you that we are working hard to find a just and reasonable resolution to this matter.

In the meantime, please remember that you are responsible for ensuring that you are in compliance with all local laws and regulations relating to your activities online. We will keep you updated on the progress of this matter as we learn more.

Regards,

Scott Shipman
Senior Counsel, Global Privacy Practices"

Izzy
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
I think that if Ebay ever does hand out Powerseller information, that the trickle of those leaving that status behind will become a stampede, and hopefully the last Powerseller out of Ebay will remember to turn the lights out.

Ebay will lose financially, I think from lost volumes. I at this time, don't seriously believe they will comprimise the privacy of the site. They have too much financially at stake to comply with such a court order. The whole thing will likely be a ping pong ball in the court system for years to come.

While Ebay says that changing your status now, won't help preserve your privacy in regards to 2004 and 2005(and that is true) it will preserve your privacy if the government is ever given access to 2007 records. Since the court order pertains to Power Sellers, you could avoid future violations of your privacy by dropping the designation now.

I will give serious consideration as 2008 comes around as to whether I wish to continue to carry the bulls-eye(Powerseller Status)or not. The New Year should be anyone's decision point on that matter.
Message 2 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

jakeeangel
Community Member
Don't make the mistake of assuming that CRA is simply going to go by who has official status or not. They're going to look at numbers. Dollar value of sales. Just because you turn down the offered PS status doesn't mean that the CRA won't come looking for you if you have the sales.

And what of those PS'ers who by feedback percentage don't qualify to be part of the so-called eBay elite? You don't actually think their info isn't going to be turned over do you? Of course it will!

I read something earlier and thought of you. LOL

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/04/tax.standoff/index.html

CNN) -- A couple convicted of tax evasion was taken into custody after a five-month-long standoff with federal agents in New Hampshire, a federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

Ed and Elaine Brown, who had refused to surrender to authorities to serve their prison sentences, were taken into custody without incident Thursday evening by U.S. Marshals at about 8:00 p.m.

The Browns had been holed up in their concrete-reinforced home in Plainfield, New Hampshire.

They were convicted of evading $1.9 million in taxes -- a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. The Browns were sentenced in absentia in April.

Throughout the ordeal, the Browns insisted there was no valid law that requires them to pay income taxes.

"We have committed no crime and we will not go to prison for non-crimes," Elaine Brown told CNN in June.

Marshals cut off utilities to the house in early June, but the Browns told CNN it was not much of a hardship because they had their own wind turbine, as well as solar panels that provided some electricity.

Also, their property covers more than 103 acres, so there was plenty of wood to keep them warm in the winter, they said.

The couple and their New Hampshire home had become a rallying spot for anti-government supporters. Randy Weaver -- a survivor of the 1992 incident in Ruby Ridge, Idaho -- had recently visited the Browns to show his support.

Over the summer, the Browns invited their supporters and friends to an outdoor party on their property that included live music, bocci and barbeque. Their online invitations asked attendees to "stand in solidarity with the Browns against income tax fraud and celebrate freedom."

U.S. Marshal Steve Monier told CNN the service had no desire to engage in a violent confrontation with the Browns. "But warrants aren't going away. They will serve their prison sentence," he added.

The Browns, who are in their 60s, now likely face a host of other charges.

They accumulated the back taxes between 1996 and 2003, in part from money made from Elaine's private dental practice.

Four people accused of aiding and abetting the Browns, including one man who allegedly provided security, were arrested and taken into custody in mid-September.




Come See What Else We've Got Up For Auction!
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

whoscloset
Community Member
I wonder if you can get a nice cup of tea in prison?

Monique

Message 4 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
"Please also be aware that the court decision contemplates eBay releasing customer information of certain sellers that held PowerSeller status during the years of 2004 and 2005."

Does anyone actually read anymore??
Message 5 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
For me the issue isn't one of liability, since I am in compliance with Canadian tax requirements.(even charged GST & PST when I owned a flea market) The issue for me is privacy. If the government can access your online Ebay info, what other online info will they want next?
Message 6 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

alero0
Community Member
tea,
You hit the nail right on the head. The issue is Privacy. Ebay better fight with every lawyer they have to protect our privacy as they state in their policies. Granted it does say that they can give out personal information if it's related to a criminal investigation. Now this is the question; is this a criminal investigation or a fishing expedition. Is the government saying that we are all criminals and they need our personal information to prove their case. I could understand if the CRA came to ebay's door and asked for Joe Blows' information because they have reason to believe he's doing something illegal. but this isn't the case here. They're saying we're all guilty.
If ebay ends up giving out information then the whole Privacy Policy would be a joke.
Just my thoughts.
Message 7 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

whoscloset
Community Member
For me the issue isn't one of liability, since I am in compliance with Canadian tax requirements.

You have just spent 4 months telling us that you don't have to pay income tax on your ebay sales????? How can you possibly be in compliance?

Monique

Message 8 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

Whichever way the wind is blowing .....
Message 9 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
Granted it does say that they can give out personal information if it's related to a criminal investigation. Now this is the question; is this a criminal investigation or a fishing expedition.....

And the judge has yet to rule on that question. Is this a criminal investigation? No, it's a fishing expedition. How can you investigate or have suspicion of persons, as yet unnamed and unidentified.

Therefore, Ebay may never give out information, except in a case where they are actually doing an investigation, a fact that would also have to be proven in court.

We may be years away from a decision on this. Thanks for your input Alero, keep on truckin....
Message 10 of 11
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Ebay Nervous About Departing Power Sellers

tea_past_times
Community Member
How many roads must a boy walk down
Before you can call him a man?
Yes and how many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned?
How many times can you ignore 2 trollettes
Before they find some other board?
The answer my friend, Is blowin in the wind
The answer is blowin in the wind.

G'nite
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