We reported this seller to HMRC VAT Fraud team in 2014. They are still trading.

HMRC has gifted this seller at least £1000,000 in unpaid VAT so far. That’s 4.5% of the total £22.5m budget HMRC have allocated to tackle this fraud over the next 5 years

Case Study

eBayer Seller ddddadi made sale in the region of £1,681,092 in 2014. This equates to £280,182 in VAT a year. They started trading on eBay.co.uk 8 years ago on 10th November 2007.

Since we reported them to HMRC they have changed the company name 3 times and VAT number twice.

Here are their listing with their details on:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371724999671
Company Name: PEIPEI SHI
VAT Number: GB 263573392

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331977382173
Company Name: LI QIN LIN !! LI QIN LIN
VAT Number: GB 240637914

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390630278017
Company Name: Youyu Fang
VAT Number: None

ddddadi

They have listed a UK residential street as their trading address; a 2 bedroom terrace house. The seller lists a Chinese contact name, no company information and no VAT number.

Secret Shopper

A VAT invoice has been requested 5 times from this seller after purchasing an item, but all requests were completely ignored.

The item received had a Royal Mail Printed Postage Impressions License number of HQ37624 and a PO Box returns address; PO Box 1021, Ipswich IP1 9WY.

Payment was made to a Paypal account in the name of ddddadi@googlemail.com

Questions for HMRC

  1. Is the person that lives at 28 Hesperus Crescent, London, E14 3AB  VAT registered and declaring £280,182.00 of VAT a year?
  2. Is ddddadi@googlemail.com PayPal account linked to a Chinese Bank Account?