When I opened my Facebook today, I was surprised to find a link to an article entitled ‘Tax agency spies via Facebook’ (the article in Dutch).
In short: the Belgian tax agency is said to watch people on network sites like Facebook and Netlog. Information that is found on the web, cannot be used as evidence, but may lead to further controls.
Main aim is to catch people whose lifesytle doesn’t correspond to their tax declaration. According to the article, the BBI (Belgian Special Tax Inspection) has already confirmed the story: “It is possible, it is allowed and it happens. Now and again information is gained via social network sites, but especially via eBay.”
After posting the link on Twitter, some people thought it was a hoax. Yet, I don’t think so. Somebody also wonders “how do they know my Ebay username”? I suppose they’re not just following anyone, but I’d like to know some more about it as well..
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July 18, 2009 at 10:20 am
Amedee
Dat lijkt me voer voor een parlementaire vraag.
Geef jij het door of doe ik het? En aan wie geven we de eer?
July 18, 2009 at 10:22 am
Amedee
Ter aanvulling: ebay controleren ze, maar met welke computers? Toch zeker niet met de Coperfin-computers…
July 18, 2009 at 12:57 pm
doriennmien
Hier een uitgebreider artikel uit 2008 in het Nieuwsblad: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=jg24000h
July 19, 2009 at 8:59 am
doriennmien
@Amedee: You have the connections, so go ahead
I want to make clear that I’m not questioning that people should be controlled. Control is necessary. Yet I wonder how they do their Ebay and Facebook controls. What is their policy?