BIR: TIN cards are not for sale online

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) warned taxpayers against “enterprising” individuals who offer help in getting Tax Identification Number (TIN) cards through e-commerce platforms, saying this ID is issued only by the BIR. According to the BIR, it discovered several such individuals through the online selling platforms of Facebook (Marketplace), Shopee and Lazada. The BIR has called out the attention of Shopee and Lazada to these offers and asked them to take down or remove such postings. “These offers of TIN ID assistance posted in online channels/selling platforms are not authorized by the BIR and are, therefore, considered illegal. Please do not be deceived or misled by such offers,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr. said in a statement. “TIN cards are not for sale and are only issued and released by the BIR through its authorized personnel,” Lumagui added. The BIR has conducted entrapment operations and arrested the sellers of “TIN ID Assistance” services. —Ronnel W. Domingo