ITIN problem/ AFF rep?
 

Hi Guys,

I already posted a thread like this in the Q and A section, but i got the tip to move it to this section in order to get an answer...

My problem: After receiving over $2000 from adult friend finder (penthouse) over the past couple of years, i was asked to fill a w8/BEN-form in order to keep receiving money from them.

I filled the form, according to the guidelines i found for google adwords. My w8/BEN was declined because i didn't fill in an ITIN-number...
Now, after reading a lot of info on w8/BEN and ITIN numbers, i'm not even sure i have to fill a w8/BEN, let alone that i should fill in an itin-number (it's even marked as "optional" on the form itself).
Next to this, i'm very reluctant to apply for an itin-number because it's expensive (i have to hire an acceptance agent or have the risk of having my application denied, i have to pay for a passport since a belgian identity card does not contain my address,...) AND, more importantly, i'm being an adult webmaster as a hobby...
I'm a married individual, i have a kid, i have a regular job,... I don't want to be identified as a porn webmaster... Not by the belgian tax authorities, not by the officials in the village,... Also, since i'm doing this as a hobby, I never registered a company or anything... This job on the side is just to have some spending money when i go to the pub with some friends and i'm afraid that registering an ITIN will put me on the tax administrations radar pretty fast...

I repeatedly tryd to reason with my rep, told her everything i said in this post, and contacted several other AFF team members, but non of them would listen to anything i had to say. It's basically: do exactly what our lawyer told us, or you won't get payed...

Since these problems, AFF haven't payed me a dime (they currently owe me over $1000)... Similar companies don't ask for a w8/BEN, and the few that do keep 30% of my income to pay taxes, and leave me be....

A couple of days ago, they shoot me an email saying they'll close my account on the 12th of june, forfeit the $1000 AND make me pay a fine for their troubles :mad:

Now, this seems totally out of line... Other companies hold 30% of the income to pay taxes if you don't submit a W8/BEN... AFF takes all your money, keeps it themselves, and fines you???
Even the act of paying a fine seems totally ridiculous, since they already "fine" me $1k when they forfeit my money...

Does anybody have any advice? In my opinion, it's already to late to apply for an ITIN now...
it takes:

• at least 1 week to get a passport
• at least a couple of days to get the passport notarized
• a couple of days to get form W-7 and fill it
• a couple of days to get a letter from penthouse stating that they'll pay me (apperantly it's needed to get an itin)
• at least 4 to 6 weeks to get an itin
• a couple of days to fill form w8/BEN

Any advice would be welcome, or is there a penthouse/FFN rep that is willing to work with an affiliate on this forum?

Hey Paffie, get in touch with me by email or Skype please.

Hi tobe87, thanks for the reply! Which email-adres can i use to contact you? ( sorrry if it's in your sig, i'm looking at the mobile version of the board, so i can only see the response, not Sigs or avatars)

I am not tobe but here is his sig:

[email protected]
Skype - kalyn.sanders

.

You can also hit me up anytime I handle penthouse. rkratz@ffn

Thanks Sarettah.

My email is ksanders@ffn and I'm on skype as kalyn.sanders

I'm here all day!

We have had the same problem and my last email asking which form to fill out has gone unanswered.

glad to know i'm not the only one affected... I know it's not the rep's fault, but it pisses me off when somebody threatens to take money that i've earned fair and square

Just sent you an ICQ, no response yet...

Sent you an ICQ message as well.

Hi, I'll try to get on icq in 10 to 15 miinutes. It's 158726359

I suspect this has less to do with compliance and more to do with being a cash grab by FFN.

We were sent a link to a .edu site asking us to fill out one of the numerous forms on that page.

http://www.atsu.edu/employeeforms/pdfs/W-8_forms.pdf

FFN should be able to send the forms it requires it's affiliates to fill out and that is what I have asked for.

The notice we received about account termination makes the claim we had previously been asked to fill out the form and not complied, which is a lie. The very first mention of these forms was the notice of account termination and forfeiture of earnings.

As I said, this reeks of being a cash grab.

tobe87 - I am hardly ever on ICQ, why don't you post the direct telephone number of someone in authority at your accounting department so we can speak to them like we would any other company ?

I was right, this is a cash grab.

FFN refuse to furnish us with the form they require us to fill out.

AK, our office info is not hidden. You can call during PST business hours to discuss with a manager:

220 Humboldt Court
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Toll Free:
(888) 575-8383
P: (408) 745-5400
F: (408) 745-5675

We prefer to link people directly to the forms on the government websites in case they have gone through minor changes and any saved locally would be rendered obsolete.

Our annual requirement for having a W8 on file has been in place for a good number of years now. I'm sorry you received the warning email before your questions were fully answered. If you would like to email me or any of the FFN managers, or call the office, we are here to help you. We're not trying to keep your money, as obviously we would prefer you to have a happy relationship with us and continue to make money with your campaigns.

elli (at) streamray.com or streamrayelli (at) gmail.com

Given we are in Australia and given that if we are required to apply for an EIN it will take longer from such a distance than the time given before termination is it possible for the termination to be postponed pending us providing all the required information ?

I have forwarded you the correspondence I have had with Harmandeep Singh

emailed you back.

You never accept your skype requests

Just to follow up: I had a conversation with Kalyn, and to tell you the truth, to my suprise she was very helpfull.
I have exchanged emails with several of the other FFN members in the past, but never got the quick responses i got from Kalyn over ICQ.

At the moment i'm hoping the form i sent her gets green light from her account department, and after that: i'm happy ;-)

btw... I did receive mails about filling the w8/BEN long before the account termination email. I tried to fill the forms as good as i could, but they were never accepted. That's part why i was so pissed: i tried my best, but it still didn't work, and in all fairnes, $1k is a lot of money for a guy with a wife, kid and a mortgage!

I have accepted 4 in total this morning, which one are you?

You can call my cell...408-598-six5two1

It would be best to give me a call within the next 9 hours so I can get you squared away.

Wow, we are having the exact same problem, threatened to have our account shut down, even though we have sent in a w8 about 15 times now.

Can someone from AFF please contact me today so we can get this issue cleared up please!!!

Contacted on ICQ

Emailed you - time zones and all.