Reporting retail tax fraud in Canada?

[Recoil]

I was out at a small retailer in The Annex in Toronto with my Fiancee and she purchased a picture frame. It was 19.99 and when he hit tax on the register it came out to 22.99. Now, from working in retail for years through high school I know off the top of my head that anything 19.99 always came out to 22.99. I smiled and paid and went on my way, knowing that it must have been overcharged because since I've worked in retail the GST has been lowered by 2%.

I'd like to report this person for collecting tax fraudulently. He is likely keeping the extra 2% for profit, and since it's an old school register it didn't print out anything other than a smaller ticker tape that just fed right back into the machine.

Any idea where I should start on this?

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by LVoer

I was out at a small retailer in The Annex in Toronto with my Fiancee and she purchased a picture frame. It was 19.99 and when he hit tax on the register it came out to 22.99. Now, from working in retail for years through high school I know off the top of my head that anything 19.99 always came out to 22.99. I smiled and paid and went on my way, knowing that it must have been overcharged because since I've worked in retail the GST has been lowered by 2%.

I'd like to report this person for collecting tax fraudulently. He is likely keeping the extra 2% for profit, and since it's an old school register it didn't print out anything other than a smaller ticker tape that just fed right back into the machine.

Any idea where I should start on this?

Why didnt you ask the guy what was up?

I'm not saying that people who are taking advantage of consumers / the govt shouldnt be reported, but running a small business is complicated and sometimes stuff slips through the cracks unintentionally. Yes, the owner is still ultimately responsible for his business, but rather than immediately assuming the worst and reporting him why not ask him why he doesn't charge at the new rate?

K

 

[Biscotti]

He probably doesn't realize it, and even if he does know...who cares? Don't report him, don't make someone's life harder over what 50 cents? Forget about it.

 

[Recoil]

Ha ha, it's funny because if you knew me you'd be surprised I was actually do something. I let everything slide. I mean everything. I never really care about anything small like this. But this one, I won't. I didn't like the guys demeanor, he wasn't particularly pleasant, and he had his Maters of Commerce degree hanging on the wall. Be it it was probably from a University in a Country I've never heard of, there is no way he hasn't heard about the reduction in retail sales tax that happened close to 2 years ago for 1% and a year ago again for 1%. An election was basically won on this platform. LOL.

I can tell the difference between a scammer and a small retailer who's working to keep his/her head above water. Believe me, some thought went into this.

 

[EL72]

I wouldn't have paid out of principle. You can report tax fraud to the CRA here: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/nvstgt...tr_tx-eng.html

 

[oneeightyseven]

Originally Posted by LVoer

Ha ha, it's funny because if you knew me you'd be surprised I was actually do something. I let everything slide. I mean everything. I never really care about anything small like this. But this one, I won't. I didn't like the guys demeanor, he wasn't particularly pleasant, and he had his Maters of Commerce degree hanging on the wall. Be it it was probably from a University in a Country I've never heard of, there is no way he hasn't heard about the reduction in retail sales tax that happened close to 2 years ago for 1% and a year ago again for 1%. An election was basically won on this platform. LOL.

I can tell the difference between a scammer and a small retailer who's working to keep his/her head above water. Believe me, some thought went into this.

I agree with you being pissed off. The amount of money in question is not relevant when being ripped off. The sole fact that you are being ripped off, even by 0.01, entitles you the right to be pissed off and take action. This has happened to me where I was ripped off by 5 dollars and complained. It was not the amount of money, which I could have paid xxxxx times over, but the fact that someone had the temerity to knowingly cheat me out of my own funds while standing less than two feet infront of me. For the record, my reach is longer than two feet

 

[AR_Six]

Dude don't do that... the CRA is the enemy. They're the empire to our rebellion, the mordor to our middle earth, and numerous other geeky analogies because no other genre is dramatic enough to typify evil as they do. You don't align with the CRA. If you do you'll be first against the wall when we win... fair warning.

No but in seriousness it seems petty to me.

 

[Recoil]

Originally Posted by oneeightyseven

I agree with you being pissed off. The amount of money in question is not relevant when being ripped off. The sole fact that you are being ripped off, even by 0.01, entitles you the right to be pissed off and take action. This has happened to me where I was ripped off by 5 dollars and complained. It was not the amount of money, which I could have paid xxxxx times over, but the fact that someone had the temerity to knowingly cheat me out of my own funds while standing less than two feet infront of me. For the record, my reach is longer than two feet

Very much agreed. I don't care about the 50 cents or whatever, that's why I had no problem paying it out up front. I'm not even going to ask for it back.