How Did Massachusetts Figure Out Who Was Buying Cigarettes Online?
As states continue to increase taxes on cigarettes, many smokers have decided to turn to online cigarette purchases to avoid paying the taxes. Imagine the shock of a few thousand Massachusetts residents who then received a tax bill for the cigarettes they bought. No one is exactly sure how the state got the list of buyers, but they do know whose list it was – which limits the possibilities to two likely suspects: the company itself or UPS. UPS is fairly unlikely, since it would be quite a scandal if it turned out they were handing out stats on what they delivered to people. The more likely revealer, then, is the online site that sold the cigarettes – and, in fact, the article suggests they’re required by law to file a report of who’s buying what in terms of cigarettes. So, even while the company is fighting a lawsuit on that very issue, they may have handed over the list in this case – though, without telling their customers to expect a tax bill. 8 Comments | Leave a Comment..
