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NI number
I have spoken with HMRC and under no circumstances should your NI number be given to a private company, only government bodies or registered financial institutions, also anything transferred electronically is not safe.
Therfore eBay asking for NI number is not correct, they are unable to guarantee safe transfer or storage of information which if hacked or sold would cause untold harm.
eBay have our bank details and personal info, this is more than enough information for ID.
It’s up to you but think twice before handing over the one number that links everything in your life to an overseas company.
i am closing my account, mainly because eBay are using a bullying technique to force you to give the info by restricting accounts and holding funds, its a form of abuse, eBay are nothing without sellers and lots are leaving, try other platforms like gumtree and facebook market place.
its personal choice but your NI number is your whole life linked, if you feel safe then give the info, personal choice. I have personal experience of ID fraud and it’s horrific to deal with, took me 15 years to sort out and the original fraud started from data from companies house and Experian, it’s that easy. Remember if it’s digital it’s not safe.
kh_safal
·5 months agoHi all,
This thread has now been locked.
While debate is welcome, parts of the discussion have moved away from constructive dialogue and have included personal remarks, repetitive/disruptive exchanges, and statements that may be misleading to other members.
This does not align with our community guidelines, which require respectful participation, staying on topic, and avoiding content that may breach eBay policies.
As the conversation is at risk of escalating further, we are closing the thread.
Thank you for your understanding.
ngr10
OP5 months agoJust to finish off, E Bay since 2024 automatically report sellers with over 30 transactions or €2,000 (approx. £1,707) in sales annually to HMRC, once again proving you do not need to give your NI number to ebay as you are reported anyway, this makes the NI number submission to e bay irrelevant.
papso22
Mentor5 months agoIt is these reports that require the NI number, as per the previous post that included HMRC guidance.
Ebay needs to ask members for their NI number because HMRC says so, regardless of what information HMRC may or may not already hold.
The regulations (law) that brought in these reporting requirements are also those that require ebay to collect the NI numbers so they can be included with the reports.
We mentors have been dealing with questions regarding these reports and the associated need to give ebay your NI number, for two years now. We know what we are talking about.
Hopefully your 'online barrister' will study the legal vires before giving their view.
ngr10
OP5 months agoIt is not my online barrister, its an online barrister, two very different things, the info has been submitted and a balanced view will be posted regarding security risks, this is about security not about ebay policy, very different, unless you work for HMRC or legally qualified you are not in a position to make that claim.
We live in a world of daily increasing danger from AI and digital security, even on HMRC web site it advises anything sent digitally is not 100% safe.
I have no issues at all with ebay sending every sellers details to HMRC, none whatsoever, NI is very different, all this post is for is to make people think and give the an informed choice, surely you cannot be against independent thought and choice.
If ebay is hacked either uk or abroad, millions of people can easily have their life destroyed with no recourse, not just ebay, any data base, you clearly have no understanding of digital security at all and that is the worry, blind leading the blind, as someone who works in a business with a separate cyber security division, we are all aware of the frightening increase in AI and attacks etc, yes, it makes me over sensitive but its a real daily threat, that is why all our clients info is stored on none connected systems, its impossible to attack ever. I think my posts will have raised awareness and that is all I can ask people to do is think, this is not about tax avoidance, its about personal security, the two are very different.
One word of warning, its easy for hackers to get behind posts to attach and take information, its not hard for lets say under your Accept as solution or ebay help button when its clicked, it can open malware immediately before any anti virus etc can detect it, its getting common now and the public as yet are totally unaware of how its done, its clever, its frightening and very real, all i ask is people need to be safe, you cannot possibly disagree with that.
Enough has been said on the issue, its hopefully made people aware and that's all I can ask for.
jckl1957
·5 months agoOf course the choice is yours. However, if you want to sell on Ebay, once you reach certain limits, they will ask youy for your NI number. If you don't supply it, you won't be able to sell on the site any more.
You have been given incorrect guidance by HMRC.
Taking up your point about digital records being unsafe, I worked for an employer once who kept staff details in a box file in the staff room. Now, that was unsafe!
This is from gov.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-goods-or-services-on-a-digital-platform
The link includes this:
Information you must give
Digital platform operators will ask you for certain details.
If you’re an individual seller, they’ll ask for your:
As an entity seller (such as a company), they’ll ask for your:
ngr10
OP5 months agoSilly quotes are irrelevant, as someone with a job which deals with personal data of clients we store our information on none WiFi connected devices, this ensures the system cannot be hacked, this is stored in a safe. Any information stored or transferred digitally is vulnerable to attack. E bay are a private offshore company using a bully technique to get information, HMRC aside, being forced to give information by restricting accounts does not build trust, secondly eBay have all our bank details which links to our MI number, revenue have instant access to these details therefore eBay do not need this information.
when I rang HMRC I stated in detail what the enquiry was about and there advice was clear and concise regarding eBay.
if you want to give your NI number, that’s your choice, if you are aware of how unsafe digital transmission is and the dangers associated with it you would not be so clever. One of my friends works for the NCA, you would be horrified at the data leaks and attacks even on government data, your NI number is your whole life, if you are prepared to risk sending it to an overseas company who can do whatever they want with it, it’s your choice, one I am not prepared to risk.
papso22
Mentor5 months agoThat 'silly quote' was direct from HMRC's published guidance, and proves that what you say you were told by an HMRC representative was wrong.
It is clear from the HMRC guidance, and the underlying Regulations, that ebay does need sellers to provide their NI number on request.
The ebay company that holds the data is UK based and will be subject to stringent checks. An NI number 'belongs' to HMRC and they will want to know it's safe.
Yes it is a personal choice not to provide your NI number, but it comes with consequences that members need to understand. These consequences are allowed under the Regulations and include financial ones such as freezing of funds. It is also likely that non compliance will increase the chance of HMRC scrutiny.
You may not be aware that this board is for mentors only to respond, we are not likely to support your views.
If you are not going to comply with ebay's request you should cancel your 60 listings and close your account.
ngr10
OP5 months agoQuotes are often used by people who have a lack of independent thought to try and add credibility, rhetorical manipulation may work with general public.
As a reply a few mins ago to another so called mentor, ebay is not a registered financial institution and therefore restricting accounts can be classed as unlawful coercion.
Now i know its just mentor replies it explains the answers so its pointless discussing further, sellers should know the dark side to this to enable an informed decision.
I have passed this on to an online Barrister and it will go online shortly, it will give people a better understanding of the pros and cons, it will be a balanced view.
My account is being closed down, full posting deletions underway, its not an issue for me but understand some people run businesses via ebay, once again bank details link to NI numbers therefore HMRC have all the details and AI can easily sort these accounts for the revenue, therefore NI numbers are not required through ebay, you are clearly unaware how advanced AI is in HMRC, if you did you would clearly understand why ebay do not need to ask for NI numbers.
jckl1957
·5 months agoI like my quote ... and very few people are offended by it, or even comment on it.
You have chosen not to give Ebay your NI number which is entirely your decision. I have chosen to give them my NI number so I can continue to sell on the site.
When you post on these boards, you do invite discussion; responding with rudeness and criticism is not really appropriate so, hopefully, you will appreciate that your posts have been read and understood and this is a point on which adults will not always be able to agree,
ngr10
OP5 months agoMost people just follow and jump off a cliff like lemmings, not all of us follow easily, replied in detail in last reply, account is being closed and an online barrister will be doing posts very shortly with a balanced view of ebay mentor stance on this, now I know its only mentors then I understand the one sided replies, looking at your page you are a full time business therefore your bank is linked to ebay and HMRC have all your details anyway therefore you did not need to give your NI number to ebay.
My job involves sensitive data and part of the business is cyber security and am acutely aware of all the dangers of anything digital or transferred digitally, its personal choice, you have had to comply as you are a business, I a selling my deceased parents home contents, I can sell in several places, not having ebay is no problem for me.
I have made my point over security issues and its pointless any more conversations, its individuals choice in the end and that is what life is about as long as all the facts are clear.
jckl1957
·5 months ago'Lemmings over a cliff' is a poor analogy as it is an 'urban myth' which was discredited years ago.
I am a private seller, not a business seller. All sellers have to link their bank accounts to Ebay in order to be paid for their sales.
So, now I am waiting with bated breath for the input from an 'online barrister' - hopefully, they won't be charging me, you or Ebay for their time.
ngr10
OP5 months agohopefully you will not have to wait too long, silly comment about charging time, yes, it is a myth but used as a metaphor for blind conformity in human behaviour, a behavioural pattern very prevalent in modern society amplified by social media, its clearly witnessed these days.
You must be a business seller with that massive feedback, no way are you private, you have some lovely stuff, almost tempted to buy a vintage rose I have seen on your page, its lovely.
All my post is about is security of personal information and being safe, E bay cannot guarantee safety, even HMRC cannot but they have resources to help if things go wrong which I cannot mention, E Bay do not, as any other private company does not, safety and security is vital in todays world, last week we heard of someone having information taken off the new passport, apparently it contains a chip with all data on, need to validate that at some point, lets be honest, no one thought cash cards could be cloned and look how easy that was to do, cars easily broken into now they are keyless, cyber attacks on major institutions only get stopped by a fraction of a second, you must remember people in AI, cyber etc work for both good and evil and its a fine line between the two, AI makes a lot of mistakes, its not intelligent, its simply a computer, nothing more, humans are the intelligence so its time people used it more.
ngr10
OP5 months agointerestingly the box in the staff room could be safer than digital, you are unaware of cyber security clearly.
i presume you work for HMRC as you are clearly calling them out as being incorrect.
E bay is not a registered financial institution, I am unable to find anything which states they are, therefore they only have to comply with KYC, that excludes NI nummbersand restricting account could be classed as unlawful coercion.
I am closing my e bay account as its proved better to sell my deceased parents home contents to dealers, its been quick and easy, personal possession's are nothing to do with HMRC, selling for business is different.
The good news, I have passed this onto an online Barrister and it should get a lot of media attention soon.
Its personal choice as I have said before, if people are aware of the dangers they can make an informed decision.
*vyolla*
Mentor5 months agoSounds interesting. Pop back to this thread when you have an update on that. Unless you've closed your account, of course.
ngr10
OP5 months agoI will send a link once its online, its all about informed decisions, ultimately its down to personal choice, the public are unaware of the dangers of recklessly giving out personal information, NI number is the ultimate personal piece of info and has to be guarded at all costs. Yes, I am closing my account as its quicker to sell to dealers in my case, one ironically sells on ebay.
papso22
Mentor5 months agoYou obviously didn't tell the person you spoke to why ebay wanted your NI number, or else the person you spoke to was not aware of HMRC's own published guidance.
It is a legal requirement for ebay to provide HMRC with your NI number when reporting your sales. If you don't give it to ebay how are they supposed to obey this law?
ngr10
OP5 months agoWhat a foolish reply, I rang HMRC to question the legality of EBay wanting an NI number, not repeating what they said ad you have read it already.
if you had read the post properly you would not have replied this way.
just to reiterate, eBay have your bank details, this directly links to your NI number and the revenue can see this for every single user of eBay which is perfectly fine by me.
what I will never do is give my NI number to a private company who will store that information and possibly sell it at some future date or if and when they have a data breach that number can and will be used to destroy your life, If you are happy to risk this go ahead. But never ever make a comment about someone based on an assumption.
*vyolla*
Mentor5 months agoYour bank account does not link to your National Insurance number.
Your bank only request your NINO if you open an ISA.