NewEgg Tax in More States

[oespo]

FYI,

 

Here in CT today i received a letter from "State of CT Revenue Service", stating that NEWEGG provided them records that i did not pay taxes on my online orders in 2014, 2015, 2016. DRS now wants back taxes that i didn't pay, on my online orders since then. Chatting with Newegg says different, the agent said that the items i bought were tax free, but it looks like Connecticut wants the tax. Be warned as you state maybe looking for back taxes as well. Very Frustrated here CT.!

[LienusLateTips]

Are you sure this isn't a scam

[lookpuppy]

Just move to alaska

[ARikozuM]

Phished by snail mail...

 

I wonder if Victorian life was this exciting.

[Tiberiusisgame]

22 minutes ago, oespo said:

FYI,

 

Here in CT today i received a letter from "State of CT Revenue Service", stating that NEWEGG provided them records that i did not pay taxes on my online orders in 2014, 2015, 2016. DRS now wants back taxes that i didn't pay, on my online orders since then. Chatting with Newegg says different, the agent said that the items i bought were tax free, but it looks like Connecticut wants the tax. Be warned as you state maybe looking for back taxes as well. Very Frustrated here CT.!

That has got to be a scam. Call the number listed on the letter, or transcribe the letter here (and don't put your personal information). I'll call them. I'd almost guarantee the number is Skype and it goes out of country.

[Donut417]

First of all, dont call the number on the letter. Look up the official number to your state office. Contact them and ask if they sent you a letter. If not, Id then report you got a scam letter, which they might want you to mail it to them for a further investigation. 

 

Also, As far as products being tax free that depends on your states law. Here in Michgian all orders are technically eligible for sales tax. However, only retailers operating with in the borders of the state, as in they have physical property in the state will collect tax. All other online retail purchases are to be reported to the state on your income taxes. So for example, if I shop Newegg.com, I dont pay tax to newegg. If I shop Amazon they collect the tax as they have multiple locations with in my state. 

 

I wont lie to you, most people who buy online and dont pay tax, dont report those purchases. But the state does not have the resources to track this down so most of us get away with not paying sales tax. 

[Zalewski]

I got this letter in the mail today as well. Cant tell if its a scam or not.

 

Edit: I just checked if any outstanding balance was due in my name by logging into the CT State Revenue Services website. If you login with your social sec # as well as password you can check by selecting Outstanding Balance on the right hand side. The website shows i have no outstanding balance even though the letter says i owe taxes as well as late fees. Therefore it would definitely have showed up. If you don't believe me check for yourself, going to go ahead and call this a scam.

[Jawaka]

I got the same letter today in Connecticut as well.

[Mightythor460]

I too received the letter. I called Newegg and they seemed pretty confused since they’ve gotten a bunch of these calls today. I’ll call the state tomorrow.

[Hiitchy]

I would love to see what this document looks like.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

Sales taxes are collected and liquidated by vendors (hence why often referred to as "indirect taxation"). Claiming sales taxes to a buyer seems as fishy as the ocean.

I agree with @Donut417, don't use any contact information provided in the letter. Instead, check if the letter contains any reference to an amount owed, or any rundown of the offending items you purchased. A debt claim with nothing but vagues statements about you owing some unspecified amount doubles the fishyness of the matter.

 

Of course, there is still a slim chance that this is somehow an official letter, but given the odds play it safe by triple checking everything before following any instruction in it.

[Canada EH]

Just call CT Tax directly not from anything you got from them but from secured website google search.

[phoenixflame611]

I got one too. Seems odd. @Mightythor460 please follow up with anything you find out. 

[AcousticGinger]

Same here. I’ve attached a copy of the letter (minus any potential personally identifiable information) below.

 

I find two things odd:

1. When googled, the number given in the letter doesn’t show any link to the DRS in CT, but when called you get a recording saying they are closed for a holiday. The official DRS website does list today as a holiday. When the main number is called that is listed, another shorter message plays stating they are closed, but then rings and plays another message.

 

2. Why are they asking for me to send my SSN through the mail? It makes me feel incredibly uneasy to even think about doing so. Shouldn’t they already have it?

 

 But, the official address is as listed, minus the “Ste 1” and the envelope matches other mail I’ve received From them in the past.

[phoenixflame611]

@AcousticGinger just noticed this on mine and yours, the "total amount due" is different from page 1 to page 2.

[NovaNightmare]

I am not from CT, but the following story from last year may shed light on this issue. 

 

https://www.insidesalt.com/2017/07/connecticut-will-make-you-disclose-personal-customer-data/

 

Bottom line appears to be the seller either collects tax (which I think they don't have to do according to SCOTUS (or I could be wrong on that being decided yet)) or give 3 years of sales information. 

[AcousticGinger]

4 minutes ago, phoenixflame611 said:

@AcousticGinger just noticed this on mine and yours, the "total amount due" is different from page 1 to page 2.

It appears that the amount on page 2 is without the “penalty” but with the interest as mentioned on page 1.

[Mightythor460]

If the link from @NovaNightmare is correct then Newegg decided to hose it’s custormers rather than collect sales tax. Awesome...

[Zalewski]

Please, someone else login to the CT DRS website and use the online inquiry to check if you have taxes owed or outstanding. Mine personally shows 0, even though this letter states otherwise.

 

https://drsindtax.ct.gov/AUT/welcomeindividual.aspx

 

IF you do not trust my link go to the CT DRS website and under " FOR INDIVIDUALS" select file and pay online.

[AcousticGinger]

4 minutes ago, Mightythor460 said:

If the link from @NovaNightmare is correct then Newegg decided to hose it’s custormers rather than collect sales tax. Awesome...

I’m having a hard time understanding why, when given the choice between collecting CT sales tax and violating privacy by giving up the private transactions with its Customers, Newegg chose to screw us over.

[2FA]

1 minute ago, AcousticGinger said:

I’m having a hard time understanding why, when given the choice between collecting CT sales tax and violating privacy by giving up the private transactions with its Customers, Newegg chose to screw us over.

You're still required to pay taxes on purchases even if the merchant doesn't collect it themselves.

[AcousticGinger]

5 minutes ago, Zalewski said:

Please, someone else login to the CT DRS website and use the online inquiry to check if you have taxes owed or outstanding. Mine personally shows 0, even though this letter states otherwise.

 

https://drsindtax.ct.gov/AUT/welcomeindividual.aspx

It says “No Records Found”

[Zalewski]

4 minutes ago, AcousticGinger said:

It says “No Records Found”

As does mine. I dont trust this letter as much as i can shred it. There are way too many grammatical errors. In the glossary of page 1, Percent is spelled as two words as well as changes meanings in the Citation 1 and 2. Citation 1 notes it as per cent to the tax amount and Citation 2 notes it as per cent of the tax amount. This letter is also way too apologetic to be coming from any actual state department.

[WTF_CT]

I checked and the amount listed does match my newegg purchases during the time frame, which makes me think it is legit.  My favorite part is how they say interest owed is 1%, but oops, the amount listed for interest is 10%.  What a convenient mistake in their favor.

[AcousticGinger]

3 minutes ago, Zalewski said:

As does mine. I dont trust this letter as much as i can shred it. There are way too many grammatical errors. In the glossary of page 1, Percent is spelled as two words as well as changes meanings in the Citation 1 and 2. Citation 1 notes it as per cent to the tax amount and Citation 2 notes it as per cent of the tax amount. This letter is also way too apologetic to be coming from any actual state department.

I’m hesitant to write it off just yet. Only because of the things that are consistent. Such as the address for mailing, unless the game is to somehow steal SSN’s.

and how did they get this info if it is fake?

I will certainly be calling the advertised (not on this letter) DRS phone number, and I suggest anyone else who received this does too.

 

• 860-297-5962 (from anywhere) 
• 1-800-382-9463 (Within CT -Outside Greater Hartford area only)