EBay asking for national insurance number

[raik1performance]

Hi everyone, I recently joined for like 1 month and I start selling as a private seller , and now eBay is asking me to provide national insurance number.

"New UK digital sales reporting legislation requires sellers with 30 or more sales, or who have sales exceeding £1740 in a calendar year, to register this information"

[steve.hrs]

Hi, yes that's my point exactly, we're not supposed to give third parties our personal tax information as it can be used for scamming or other nefarious purposes.  The people at eBay have clearly been instructed to quote the 'computer says no' mantra, or they're just a bit thick between the ears.

The more complaints they get, the more likely they are to review the matter. If you cancel now, they won't care as you're only one person. Better to organise and gather in numbers so that they then see they'll lose large numbers of platform users and the associated fees they say they don't charge to sell on eBay (Buyer protection fee that's really paid by the Seller who has to lower their initial price to keep the BIN price to the Buyer reasonable).

My suggestion is that those of us who are hacked off enough to cancel their account advises eBay that Wednesday 5th November 2025 (Guy Fawkes Day) will be the 'mass cancellation day' as that'll hit their Christmas trade if enough people join the protest. And in the meantime, everyone stops selling or buying anything on eBay.

[moldosgifts]

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@crafty6272 wrote:
Since I handed out my NI number to eBay I have had two texts requesting
sums of money from a site pretending to be HMRC one saying I owe £62.47 in
tax and one saying £26.65. I asked HMRC and these are scams I reported them
if you get anything like this it’s a scam they don’t send texts apparently

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Correct they send an email telling you to log into your account, NO links in the email.

[specialk1937]

Moral of story, DON'T give your NI Number to ebay!

[lonewolfmozes]

I agree mate give ebay nothing. Goodbye from 12th May 2025 as I am leaving. 👍🎊🎉😎

[specialk1937]

I will probably bow out 19th May which will be my 88th Birthday!

[theelench]

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@papso22 wrote:

HMRC instructions to the likes of ebay say they need to provide the NI number with the sales data.

I am sure ebay would rather not bother collecting this information but they have no choice.

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But I'm sure ebay aren't at all unhappy that it gives them the opportunity to hold sellers cash until they comply.

In fact, in all the many quotes about what the OECD and HMRC are required to do and what info they are required to collect from selling platforms, I haven't seen one yet that includes any mention of instructions that selling platforms can or should apply any sanctions to those who won't hand over their NINO.

The logical sanction to apply seems to me to be for ebay to give any seller who reaches a threshold 7 days to comply or have their selling activities put on hold.  Not allow selling to continue and then hold the payouts.

[papso22]

I agree they have an unfortunate way of attempting to force compliance for a number of regulatory requirements. 

[crn303]

Hello … As you may have been already informed, ignore any emails or text supposedly from HMRC.

They will ALWAYS contact you initially in the post and give you a direct telephone number to use in contacting them.

Its an evil world out there !!

[sml192]

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@theelench wrote:

In fact, in all the many quotes about what the OECD and HMRC are required to do and what info they are required to collect from selling platforms, I haven't seen one yet that includes any mention of instructions that selling platforms can or should apply any sanctions to those who won't hand over their NINO.

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It is actually mentioned in the OECD's 'Model Reporting Rules for Digital Platforms - International Exchange Framework and Optional Module for Sale of Goods' Part II, paragraph 13:

'It is expected that jurisdictions have measures in place that require Reporting Platform Operators to enforce the collection and verification requirements of Section II of the Model Rules in relation to their Sellers.  This could, for instance, include a requirement that Reporting Platform Operators cannot allow Sellers to be connected to other users for the provision of Relevant Services or the sale of Goods, or that the pay-out of Consideration is withheld by the Reporting Platform Operator, in case the Seller does not provide the information required under Section II.  This is to ensure that the information that is used for the due diligence processes and for reporting the Seller is accurate and complete at the end of each Reportable Period in view of reporting such information.'

There is no specific mention of this in 'The Reporting Operators (Due Diligence and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2023', other than that Reporting Platform Operators should keep a record of the steps taken to comply with the regulation, and HMRC's 'Internal Exchange of Information Manual' merely suggests 'temporarily suspending access to the Platform until the Seller provides the information required'.

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@theelench wrote:

The logical sanction to apply seems to me to be for ebay to give any seller who reaches a threshold 7 days to comply or have their selling activities put on hold.  Not allow selling to continue and then hold the payouts.

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I definitely agree that that would be a much better way of dealing with it. 

[theelench]

I stand corrected in that the provisions do allow  ebay to sanction sellers in order to get their NINO.

But stand by my statement that they could have done things differently and without holding funds.

But then again ebay double dipping is nothing new.  Didn't they add the Site Operating Fee (or something similar) to cover the costs incurred by complying with this reporting and other new regulatory requirements?  Bit of a cheek after taking the additional fee to then hold a private sellers cash.  Especially as most private sellers won't be liable for any tax in the first place.

[papso22]

But just because there is no tax due (or money laundering going on), that doesn't mean there is no cost to ebay in meeting the regulatory requirements. 

There is also no regulatory fee charged to private sellers now as it is a transaction fee, and they are the ones most likely to refuse their NI number.

[theelench]

Note to self:  Do not post until I've drunk my second cup of coffee in the morning !

You're totally correct, now it's "free" to sell for private sellers they're not paying the Regulatory Fee.

My apologies.

[*maetrix*]

Just had the "give us your personal information (or you vill be shot)" message this morning.

errr,nope...I wouldn't trust your company with anything anymore.

Go ahead & Block me from selling...6 months ago I would've been annoyed but i'm literally selling zilch since the new changes so it'll make eff all difference to me now.

[zed.1015]

They won't block you from selling but they will put all your payouts on hold until you do comply so i would withdraw any funds held in you ebay balance asap while you can..

You can always open up another account and copy your listings over to that one and start again.

They won't bother you until that account hits the 30 item or the £1740.00 earnings per year limit again.

[papso22]

Do you honestly think ebay won't link the two accounts?

You are suggesting something very dodgy.

[specialk1937]

I know they wont block me from selling but I am blocking myself from now
on My earnings for this year have only been £146 so I don't know what all
the fuss is about and my sales have always been from my own personal
possessions accrued for the past 60 years or more!

[*maetrix*]

So I fall into the "selling used unwanted items etc" bracket...I thought we were allowed up to £6000 before having to inform hmrc...?...there is a thread on it somewhere.

Can somebody please clarify.

[zed.1015]

Now now matey ! you can stop right there with your incorrect libelous accusations which wouldn't get you such a polite response if we were in the same room right now .

I'm not suggesting anything dodgy so wind your neck in and get your facts right.

1 - There is no legal limit on how may accounts you can hold .

2 - I have two linked accounts for the simple reason that i temporarily lost the password for the first many years ago .

The most recent one of over 20 years has just reached the yearly 30 item limit but only around £400 of private "so called earnings" from my own possessions so they now want my nino to carry on.

Due to this latest SD etc debacle there's no way i'm giving ebay any more of my personal info so i decided to try my old account and lo and behold i've been able to list a couple of items and there's absolutely no sign of any restrictions being carried over from the other abandoned account .

And that's a FACT....

[crn303]

Agree with your posting zed … deal in facts whilst others wouldn’t.

[papso22]

Fact.  It's a legal requirement for ebay to provide sales data for individuals to HMRC when one of the two thresholds is breached.

Fact.  It's a legal requirement for ebay to provide the individuals NI number with that data.

Fact.  Your advice (and what you yourself are doing with your accounts, as stated by you), is specifically aimed at preventing ebay fulfilling its legal requirements.

Fact.  Posting that advice is against the community board rules.