Account Verification for London based seller
I know this title has always been here, and I thought it was posted by sellers who were not actually based in the UK. However, now I understand that even if you are based in the UK and pay all your taxes, you can still have verification issues.
I have been paying VAT for 10 years and have proof of these payments. Yet, the KYC team thinks that I may not be in the UK and haven't paid taxes. They claim that they might close my account, remove all stock, and keep the payment that I have in the account.
Is that really true? Are they allowed to do that?
10 replies
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
"Are they allowed to do that?"
No, they are not allowed if you do live in the UK. But they don't seem to be the smartest team of people and are happy to assume your guilt without having definite proof. However, in many cases, they know the tricks that bad actors do play.
There must be something in your setup or documentation or practices etc to make them think that you are not based in the UK.
Can you think of anything?
Seller_2EG6N58tYDYmC
Yes, I went holiday for 12 days and I put all countries to holiday mode. 5th of my holiday, they declared me as non UK residents!
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
"Yes, I went holiday for 12 days"
Joking aside, can you think of anything it can possibly be? You need to become your own sleuth as Amazon won't do it for you. They really don't care if they are wrong and they wreck someone's life. Think "Post Office Miscarriage of Justice and you won't be far wrong.
Company registration details, passport, utility bill, anything that has links to non-UK?
I know that in my case, the geo-location of my internet is not always correct. Sometimes internet browsers think I'm in the north of England when I am not and sometimes, if I go onto the national lottery website with apple safari, I am not allowed to log on as it thinks that I am abroad. I have to use chrome instead.
Seller_2EG6N58tYDYmC
No, I have no idea where that came from. Apart from holidays and my holidays never been away from UK. I have all kind of proof that shows I' live in the UK and I run the business.
Seller_19xPhE8YgkmxW
Hi Disenchanted_Seller,
Suggest you do not dismiss the possibility that a visit overseas triggers the UK cross-check - I went to Belgium for a few days before Christmas and had the overseas challenge check 3 weeks later, which took nearly 8 weeks to resolve!
All Best
Brian
Seller_2EG6N58tYDYmC
What is an Overseas Challenge Check? Mine is asking me to prove whether I am established in the UK for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes.
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
Others have different opinions and they may be right but I don’t personally believe that accessing seller central from abroad when on holiday would trigger anything special regarding country of establishement.
But do read and understand the following document and see if there is anything you can find out. Unfortunately with Amazon, you are guilty until proven innocent.
Seller_2EG6N58tYDYmC
That is my problem. I am proving I established and live in the UK, and I have all the proof. I don't understand what they don't like in the documents.
Seller_19xPhE8YgkmxW
Hi Xarissa,
Are you sending PDF's? Rumour has it that the documents should be between 500kb and 10mb or they are not acceptable (no confirmation as to this rumour)
Sorry if I phrased things badly - yes, established in the UK for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes
Hope that helps
Brian
Seller_2EG6N58tYDYmC
PDFs, jpegs but those are not the issue. Now they sent me this:
If you operate a Limited Company or Partnership:
Evidence that you are physically operating your business from your provided business address.
- A recent utility bill issued less than 180 days ago addressed to the company; or
If you don't have any utility Bills addressed to your company:
- A recent UK council tax bill or business rates of the current year addressed to the company; or
If you do not meet the UK establishment criteria: Verify that you are not established in the UK.
In this case, you will not need to provide documentation, but you will need to pay Amazon to account for the un-paid VAT.
I use my accountant's address and Access Storage, so I don't have any utility bills, council tax, or business rates. I already sent all kinds of contracts and other invoices, but they were not acceptable.
