Your Earnings on Your Profile Page is a LIE!!
Dec 27 '00
This epinion is basically about the web site problems here and having to pay taxes. At the end of this epinion I will include the actual email correspondence so that you can see for yourself how I was mislead into paying taxes on the money I earned at Epinions.
Let me say first off that I was very careful when I was cashing out. I did not want to go over $600 and therefore have to pay taxes. I stopped cashing out when my profile revealed that I had earned $597.55.
What started this whole thing was that I got an e-mail from the redemption department at Epinions. They had stated this is the second time we have asked for your social security number (it was the first e-mail I had ever gotten asking for my social security number), which immediately put me on the defensive. I sent them my number, but inquired why they needed it because I had only made $597.55. And that I thought in order to need my social security number I was supposed to make over $600.
They wrote me back saying that I had in fact made $627.55. I was livid! You can tell that when you read the e-mail exchange at the bottom. I wanted to know exactly where they got this figure, so they sent me a page URL detailing my credits and debits.
Well, I perused that page extensively. I added and subtracted the numbers on that page and still came up with $597.55. I told them as much. They got a different number: $627.55.
I told them whatever and hung my head because there was no way of arguing with them. I also told them that they should seriously fix their web site so that it shows the true balance of what we earn. They never even responded to those parts of my replies.
So next year I will only cash out at $500, if I make that much. No telling how far it will be off next year.
Here are the emails that were sent back and forth. I have edited out my social security number and personal URL page, but other than that I’m copying and pasting what transpired. I’m also starting off with the first email I got and working up so that there is no confusion…
From Them
Hi, We earlier sent an email out asking you for your Social Security Number. In order to be in compliance with the IRS, we need your Social Security Numbers because you have earned over $600 from Epinions.com. We didn't receive a reply. Please either reply to this message with your
user-ID and SSN, or call 650.616.6525 and leave the same information. Failure to do so may prevent you from earning any more Eroyalties credits from Epinions.com
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
My Response
Does it matter that I have not cashed out over $600? I've only cashed out $597. Will I still be taxed? I did not receive that email you are referring to either...
Their response
Hi, Thank you for your email. Our files show that you have cashed $627.55 in checks from
Epinions.com. Thanks for your cooperation and have a great holiday.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
My Response
I guess you need to fix my profile page because it says I have only cashed out $597.55. I'd appreciate it if you could fix this...
Them
Hi, Thank you for your email. Just because your "redemption and other" account show %597.55
doesn't mean you haven't redeemed more money. The reason is because you
have received several credits that cancel out the debits.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
Me
I have no idea what credits you are referring to!! Do yall make more money if I have to pay taxes? Just wondering because this really and truly does not sound right AT ALL!!! I wish I knew where that extra $29 went to....I have stuck with yalls site through thick and thin, but this is just too much....I really do not understand HOW I made over $600. I wish that you could send me a copy of your so called records of my "credits" and "debits"....
Them
Hi, Thank you for your email. If you check your credits and debits at http://www.epinions.com/crebit_detail.html?user=use**** and keep clicking next to see your full redemptions, you will see that you have redeemed a total of $627.46. That total is all the checks that you have cashed. Your account shows only just over $597 because there are credits to your account that are deducting from the total. But it doesn't mean you have cashed $627.46 in checks.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
Me
Date Comment Other Eroyalties
12/29/99 Harris Poll Bonus $10.00
12/29/99 Redemption by Check $-10.00
01/09/00 Redemption by Check $-11.70
01/12/00 Redemption by Check $-28.85
01/15/00 Redemption by Check $-23.81
01/16/00 Redemption by Check $-17.12
01/18/00 Redemption by Check $-38.57
01/20/00 Redemption by Check $-27.83
01/24/00 Redemption by Check $-76.00
01/26/00 Redemption by Check $-24.18
01/27/00 Redemption by Check $-10.17
01/28/00 Redemption by Check $-17.82
02/01/00 Redemption by Check $-11.78
02/02/00 Redemption by Check $-15.45
02/15/00 Redemption by Check $-23.20
03/16/00 Redemption by Check $-10.65
04/04/00 Redemption by Check $-64.20
04/30/00 Redemption by Check $-78.78
05/04/00 Redemption Error Credit $20.00
05/04/00 Cancelled Redemption $78.78
05/08/00 Redemption by Check $-45.90
06/06/00 Redemption by Check $-33.35
06/14/00 Redemption by Check $-17.50
06/26/00 Redemption by Check $-10.53
07/09/00 Redemption by Check $-22.38
07/12/00 Redemption by Check $-11.15
07/14/00 Redemption Error Credit $22.38
07/16/00 Redemption by Check $-24.69
08/07/00 Redemption by Check $-41.67
09/07/00 Redemption by Check $-31.43
Here is what that page told me. I just added all the negatives up. It equaled $728.71 I remember cashing out and then receiving an email saying that the website made a mistake for certain times. In comes the positive numbers above. So now I subtract those positive number from $728.71. This is what I come up with : $597.55. I did not come up with the total of $627.46. At the very top of this list it has a Harris Poll credit of $10 and the next line is me cashing out that $10. I know I cashed out that $10, so lets add $10 to the total I came up with of $597.55. That is still only $607.55. Which does put me over the $600 amount. But not up to the total you have told me of $627.46. There is $19.91 not accounted for here. I am desperately trying to understand where you got the figure of $627.46. I will now re-add and re-subtract these figures again to be sure of my calculations...Well, I still come up with the same figures. Please, please help me understand where you got the total $627.46! I just got your Federal Express envelope today. I will send that information you requested as soon as I can understand this dilemma...
Them
Hi,
Thank you for your email. The list that I have is every check that was sent to you in your name.
That total gives me $627.55. If you want to verify with your bank, that would be best. But our records show that you have been sent checks that total to $627.55 from Epinions.com.
1999/12/29^10.00^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/09^11.70^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/12^28.85^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/15^23.81^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/16^17.12^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/18^38.57^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/20^27.83^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/24^76.00^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/26^24.18^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/27^10.17^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/01/28^17.82^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/02/01^11.78^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/02/02^15.45^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/02/15^23.20^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/03/16^10.65^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000-04-04^64.20^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/05/08^45.90^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/06/06^33.35^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/06/14^17.50^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/06/26^10.53^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/07/12^11.15^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/07/16^24.69^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/08/07^41.67^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
2000/09/07^31.43^Eroyalties - tyjmsmith^Tricia
But we already have your SSN from the time you sent it to me in your
email and that's all we need.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
Me
Ok well, these do add up to the total of $627.55. I just wanted to know how you came up with that number. You really should fix the website so it reflects how much I "actually" made. I'm sure your bank statements are true and correct. I was going strictly on what Epinions.com website
said I had made. My goal had been to not cash out over $600 so that I would not have to pay taxes. I guess next year I should only cash out $500 to make sure that I do not have to pay taxes again...Thank you for explaining in detail how you reached that figure. So I don't need to return that paperwork I just received via Federal Express then, right?
Them
Hi, Thank you for your email. I compared my list with your list and if you take out the redemptions
that were never sent out and the credits that were applied to your account, they match identically.
No, you don't have to return the paperwork. You already gave us your SSN. Thanks for cooperating.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Epinions.com Redemption Lead
Me
Ok...I'm just saying that you should work to correct what it says I have earned on my profile page...Enough said from me!
That’s it. Does it make sense to anyone? If you want, maybe you could pull out your own calculator and see what you come up with. Maybe I have a bad calculator.
Editor’s Note: Now I cannot even submit this...it’s a conspiracy, I tell ya!! Of course if you are reading this then I did, in fact, get it submitted! :o)
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Epinions.com ID:
tyjmsmith
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Member: Tricia
Reviews written: 101
Trusted by: 55 members
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