requesting Tax id number for IRS

[granola]

Has anyone received the following message on their Paypal "My Account" page.  I received an email requesting my tax id number or SS number several weeks ago. I immediately forwarded it to Paypal and they said it was a scam.   This message showed up on my account page and has stayed there and I am continuing to get emails requesting the same.  Any help?   Thanks.

***Please provide us with your tax ID number. Your tax ID number lets us
send you Form 1099-K, as required by the IRS under certain conditions. Find more
information about the new tax rules and why we need your tax ID at
www.paypal.com/irs. Provide
your tax ID number now.***

[ramblinmustang]

I totally agree with unnecessarily giving PP your SSN if you don't come close to or meeting the IRS criteria. What gives PP the right to request it if you dont have over $20k in sales and over 200 sales transactions? Has anyone had their PP account limited because of this?

[halocean]

Is "add funds from a bank account" considered as gross income and reported to IRS?

[imsoexcited]

My number of sales and the amounts received both are far below the criteria stated by the new tax rule. Why is a Social Security Number needed in this case?

Also, why does Pay Pal not have a summary report that the user can run to see where they stand at any given moment that sums (a) number of sales for the year, and (b) total gross receipts for the year.

[gm1230126]

Is their a monthly or annual statement report available that shows receipts separate from payments or has a total for the month of each?

[bigun]

Yes, I have received the same message on my PayPal account page. They are requesting my Tax Id number or social security number.  I will not give my social number out.

[Ozomahtli]

I have about 60-80 sales on ebay this year with a net value of 12k-14 aprox. It is late November and PP is asking for my SSN! Unless they have some kind of crystal ball and they now something I don't, there is no way I am going to rack up 200 /yr sales regardless of net value in less than two months.

Perhaps their algorythm used for this matters was made by a tarot reader, or their analysts are on drugs. The law requires PP to ask for my SS and for me to submit to that request only after both requirements are met: a. 200 sales/yr and b. a sales amount of 20k or more.  

PP is asking for SS from people who haven't met that requirement and some never will. The request of SSN from sellers who haven't met or aren't even close to meeting those two requirements is arbitrary. I will not provide my SSN before I rack up 200 sales in one year adding to 20k or more in sales.

To be clear I'd rather stop using PP than submit to this arbitrary requirement.

PP let me know when I have 200 sales worth a total of 20k, meanwhile shove it!

[oatsmotes]

I just created a new account on ebay and PayPal. I haven't sold or bought anything yet. Paypal asked for my SSN when setting up my account. I did not want to do this but somehow got the impression it was required for authentication. Now I want to remove it and there is no way to do so. Angry doesn't even begin to describe it!!!!!

[dmshimek]

So im just wondering cause im kinda new to paypal, if i DONT provide my SS# will any payment ive made be held? I just paid for some services done for me through paypal and the other person said that its pending.... is there a reason why its being held and does my SS# have anything to do with it..why do they make things so complicated..

[oatsmotes]

From what I understand, you do not need your SSN to receive/send payment. Usually when it's pending, Paypal is waiting for one of the parties to indicate the "product" has been successfully delivered. Check your transaction page and see if the entry for your payment has a button on it like "release", "received", etc.

[oatsmotes]

Oh, and DON'T enter your SSN anywhere, EVER, unless you know you will be exceeding the IRS sales threshold for paying taxes. Do it then, and only then, because once they have it in their system, they "legally" cannot remove it even if you ask. grrrrr I wish I knew