post office women asked me if i was paying tax (declaring my earnings...)

[paisleyII]

i am meant to be working sat at my laptop but this came into my head, wondered if you thought it was odd - was in the post office on friday posting a load of ebay sold items - they know me well in there as i do bulk listings once every few months, anyway, oddly enough the male workers are a friendly bunch whilst the women are all pretty scary, everyone i know who goes in there thinks this - one of them serving me was vaguely chatty, asked me what all the items were i was posting, i explained i was a dealer and that other than a mkt stall i ran i also sold specific things on ebay - she seemed interested in this but not in a smiley friendly chatty way, ie as if she was thinking of doing ebay but more in a serious way, then she asked me if i was paying tax which ithought was a bloody nosey thing to ask. as it so happens i have a clear conscience and declare all my money, i am registered as self employed and pay my ni etc but what business is it of hers, just thought it was an odd question. alot of dealers i know don't declare their earnings and if she had asked them they would probably have been bricking it as paranoid although i don't think she believed me when i told her i did.

[worraliberty]

I don't think it's odd really.

You'd be surprised how many people go from selling a few bits...to having a business build up..then before they know it, they're in trouble with the tax people.

She may have been going to suggest you use the tax stamp service over the counter (if they still do it?)

[BornInAfrica]

Well if you're all above board and she WAS asking you with the intention of dobbing you in you have nothing to fear do you?

Maybe she was just interested/curious? Not everything is a conspiracy you know.

[Hassled]

I think a lot of people assume/think that professional Ebayers are doing it all undeclared and have a problem with that. That would have been her issue - not a personal thing.

[virginiasmonalogue]

I think it's bloody rude of her. I'd have been

[Birdsgottafly]

She is probably taking the training that she has had on preventing fraud and money laundering to extremes.

I have always found women that work in the post office to be very superior and condesending.

I am relieved that payment of child benefit moved to being paid straight into my bank account so that i can avoid going into the post office.

[paisleyII]

i just thought it was odd and come to think of it, i think she asked me more than once. i don't really care that much as i do my yearly tax return, she can dobb me all she likes but the way in which she asked me just seemed like a personal thing to ask somone as if she was asking me if i was honest or not.

[catsareevil]

She might have been asking because she was interested and considering doing something similar herself.

[paisleyII]

hassled - the thing with ebay is that alot of people i know who are not dealers by trade start off selling their own stuff, get a taste of it and then at weekends now go to bootsales buying with a view to selling on ebay and thus technically they should be declaring it although i don't think any of them do as they see it as a bit of fun but it should actually be declared. my ebay account is a business account, you have to (should if you have any sense) declare it plus i do well enough on my mkt stall so definately have to declare, actually, i get a buzz paying my tax in jan as it makes me feel that my business is working, sad that i am

[IDrinkFromTheirSkulls]

DH worked in a post office and he said he had regular ebayers but it's none of his business what they were earning or declaring (or not!). So yes, she was being rude and nosy!