Taxman bot cometh

[temi]

Now you cannot keep you income from webventures a secret from HM Customs and revenue any more. The taxman is now launching its own bot :

Websites around the world are getting a new computerized visitor among the Googlebots and Yahoo web spiders: The taxman. A five-nation tax enforcement cartel has been quietly cracking down on suspected internet tax cheats, using a sophisticated web crawling program to monitor transactions on auction sites, and track operators of online shops, poker and porn sites.

full story: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/security/0,72564-0.html?tw=wn_technology_14

 

[midlandi]

It was only a matter of time.

 

[temi]

What I wonder though is if it will follow standard robot.txt file command as you can easily exclude any unwanted bots via robot.txt file.

 

[midlandi]

I would say they probably will get involved with paypal etc also.

 

[temi]

Yes they will, but I don't think they can just contact paypal, first you will have to have done something wrong before they initiate investigation which may include contacting paypal.

 

[Robster]

Hmm interesting. However I have nothing to worry about, I file my tax return on 29th Jan every year!

 

[Robocop]

I file my tax return on 29th Jan every year!

And i file mine on the 32nd

 

[temi]

I always get the £100 fine before I remeber to file mine