ATO investigating eBay's top online sellers

NEWS.com.au

EBAY has handed over the personal and financial details of hundreds of its top customers to the Australian Taxation Office as part of an investigation into GST compliance.

The ATO has asked for the details of eBay sellers with an annual turnover of more than $50,000. The request is understood to be part of an ATO audit to determine if online sellers are avoiding GST, and could affect up to 1000 local customers.

eBay Australia managing director Simon Smith said the ATO had requested data for the period July 1, 2003, to June 30 last year. The request was made a month ago and sellers were informed by email yesterday.

At least one seller is known to have gone into liquidation this year after a related ATO probe.

eBay provided to the ATO information including members' contact names, seller user names, phone numbers, duration of membership and monthly sales turnover for the periods in question. Mr Smith said the data had been provided in compliance with eBay's privacy policy.