PS4 Users Are Finding a Way Around the PlayStation Network Sales Tax
Earlier this week, Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA) announced that all purchases made via PlayStation Network starting April 1, 2017 will be taxed. Today, we are learning that many users are starting to find a way to avoid paying that tax.
Speaking in an email to customers, Sony commented, “We are writing to inform you that PlayStation Store, including all services such as PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, and PlayStation Music, will start collecting tax in your state starting April 1, 2017. The sales tax charged on each order is determined by your state, county and city tax rates.”
This was louse news no doubt, so many took action illegally. And yes we want to make one thing clear, it’s totally illegal to avoid PlayStation Network sales tax. By circumventing the tax they are reducing the amount they have to pay for the games they download on the PlayStation Network The sales tax applies to anything you buy from the PlayStation Store, so any item purchased from PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Now, PlayStation Music and PlayStation Plus either is right now, or will be affected by the US tax in certain States. You’ll see the additional tax price underneath the price of the game when you check out at the Store.
Players are apparently taking the following steps to avoid PlayStation Network sales tax.
1. Setting up a billing address on their PSN account that is in a State or Country which doesn’t require you to pay PlayStation Network tax, such as the UK.
2. Instead of using a credit card or debit card (which may have to show the same address as the billing address), they’re paying for their digital goods on the PlayStation Store via Paypal or using PSN top-up cards.
And there you have it.