How safe is it buying wholesale (USA) using your Tax No?

supersaver09

Hi Guys, not sure if this is the right place to post this - but i was thinking of using a US Wholesale Company, but in order to register they are asking for my Tax Number.
Just wanted to know how safe this is, handing over an important piece of information like that.
They seem like a relatively safe site, but just not sure how they use that information.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

martindow

Many countries have a requirement that you register as a business and are issued with a number. This isn't the case in the UK if you are a sole trader or partnership. I'd just give them a number so they can fill in that box on their forms and be happy.

You could get an EORI
https://www.gov.uk/eori-supporting-guidance
which smooths importation if items are sent as freight rather than with a courier.

However, I can't see any problem giving them your UTR tax reference. They can't do anything with it apart from paying money in to your tax account!

soolin

supersaver09 wrote: »

Hi Guys, not sure if this is the right place to post this - but i was thinking of using a US Wholesale Company, but in order to register they are asking for my Tax Number.
Just wanted to know how safe this is, handing over an important piece of information like that.
They seem like a relatively safe site, but just not sure how they use that information.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I assume they are wanting the UTR? that should be fine, many wholesalers need that to prove you are properly registered as self employed. If it was face to face in the UK they are usually happy to see sight of some tax documents, but with paper documents being so easy to fake if you don't actually see a hard copy I assume the UTR is the next best thing.

I do freelance work in the UK and one of the Government departments I work for either expects you to provide your UTR on every invoice, or they pay you net of tax and let you do your own reclaiming.

supersaver09

Thanks for the info Guys.