Canada's Tax Cheat Internet Spider - US Version Next?
- Date: 2007-01-31 - Word Count: 406
Share This!
Oh, Canada! In case you haven't heard, Canada is going after tax cheats in a very unique way using the Internet. If the effort is successful, one has to wonder how long it will be before the IRS follows suit.
The Canada Revenue Agency is the equivalent of the IRS in the states. Unlike the IRS, it tends to move forward with innovate tax solutions. Recently, it announced a new technique for finding people that owe back taxes. Yep, the program surfs the internet looking for posts made by the people that might lead the government to them. Canada is undertaking the program jointly with the tax agencies for the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Demark and Austria.
The program in question is called Xenon, not to be confused with Xena the warrior princess on television. The program works by taking the names of "missing" taxpayers and hunting for them on the net. It trolls through forums, porn sites, auction sites, gambling sites and just about anywhere someone might drop their name.
There are, of course, a couple of problems with the internet sweep approach. First off, most people don't use their real names when posting given the threat of identity theft. Second, the issue of privacy rights certainly would seem to come up, particularly if the program hacks into protected membership areas. Nobody has any answers to these issues because it is not entirely clear how the program works. Still, you can expect some controversy in the future.
If you don't live in Canada or these other countries, you are probably wondering why you should care about this at all. Well, citizens of the United States should be on alert. The IRS annually reports tax gaps of hundreds of billions of dollars. A good percentage of this is due to people that just stop paying taxes. The IRS does not have the manpower to track all of them down, but things could become much easier if a simple computer could do it for them. If this occurs, all heck is going to break out for a lot of people. Imagine bidding on stuff on EBay only to find your debit card and bank account have been frozen!
In truth, people that don't pay taxes only have themselves to blame. Still, the idea of the government sweeping the web for information is a more than a little troubling.
Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com - providing information on tax debt relief.
The Canada Revenue Agency is the equivalent of the IRS in the states. Unlike the IRS, it tends to move forward with innovate tax solutions. Recently, it announced a new technique for finding people that owe back taxes. Yep, the program surfs the internet looking for posts made by the people that might lead the government to them. Canada is undertaking the program jointly with the tax agencies for the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Demark and Austria.
The program in question is called Xenon, not to be confused with Xena the warrior princess on television. The program works by taking the names of "missing" taxpayers and hunting for them on the net. It trolls through forums, porn sites, auction sites, gambling sites and just about anywhere someone might drop their name.
There are, of course, a couple of problems with the internet sweep approach. First off, most people don't use their real names when posting given the threat of identity theft. Second, the issue of privacy rights certainly would seem to come up, particularly if the program hacks into protected membership areas. Nobody has any answers to these issues because it is not entirely clear how the program works. Still, you can expect some controversy in the future.
If you don't live in Canada or these other countries, you are probably wondering why you should care about this at all. Well, citizens of the United States should be on alert. The IRS annually reports tax gaps of hundreds of billions of dollars. A good percentage of this is due to people that just stop paying taxes. The IRS does not have the manpower to track all of them down, but things could become much easier if a simple computer could do it for them. If this occurs, all heck is going to break out for a lot of people. Imagine bidding on stuff on EBay only to find your debit card and bank account have been frozen!
In truth, people that don't pay taxes only have themselves to blame. Still, the idea of the government sweeping the web for information is a more than a little troubling.
Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com - providing information on tax debt relief.
Related Tags: internet, program, tax, cheat, taxes, canada, spider, back taxes, find, xenon
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- The Secrets to Getting Low Down Payment Car Insurance
Upon purchase of a new car, there is almost always a requirement to buy an auto insurance policy as - The Wisdom Behind Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes
No one in his right mind would not go for a good deal. In fact, everyone is out on their feet and ru - The Benefits of Auto Insurance Comparisons Florida
Insurance can be expensive. This is something everyone knows about especially in the sunny state of - Auto Insurance Florida: The No-Fault Policy
There are different kinds of car insurance offered by a wide range of providers today. Different sta - Finding the Cheapest Auto Insurance Companies
Everyone is asking and searching for the cheapest auto insurance companies available today. Consider - How do You Compare Private Health Insurance Cover in Australia?
Deciding what is the best and most affordable private health insurance cover can be easy if you take - How Payment Protection Insurance Was Mis-Sold
For over six years the issue of Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) and how it was mis-sold to custom - Finding Quotes For Auto Insurance Online
One of the many concerns when you are shopping for auto insurance is being able to get access to quo - How You Can Find the Best Auto Insurance Online
When it comes to renewing your car insurance you are going to quickly discover that there are a numb - Guidelines For Searching For Auto Insurance Online
The internet can be a great source of discounts and values related to auto insurance. However, many
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Trading Forex With Pivot Points
Forex Pivot Point Trading are used today by Forex Traders and are calculated on the previous days mo - Where To Search For Free Grants
Where do you look for free grants? The search must be thorough or it could be an exercise in futilit - The Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Salt
We are a society of Salt Addicts. It cannot be denied. When you look at the things we do and the pla - Tips For Avoiding HYIP Scams
Before knowing about HYIP Scams, refer to the functioning of HYIP or "High Yield Investment Programs - Getting Credit After Bankruptcy
Consumers do not have to live sans credit following a bankruptcy. By following certain steps consume - Tips For Choosing A Credit Card
Are you looking for that perfect credit card? If so, you may be confused about what exactly to look - Cheap Car Insurance For Teens Online
Many elements determine a car insurance policy. Car insurance companies look at the person's age, hi - What Exactly Is Free Grant Money?
You can apply for free grant money from various government agencies. But where exactly does this mon - Small Business Owners Marketing and Customer Service
Marketing can be time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be hugely expensive now, thanks to the Inter - Apply Online For A Credit Card - How To Choose A Card?
The best type of credit card for you will be dependant on how you intend to use the credit card. Are