SARS says ID number is wrong, wants docs from 1998

wrinklyo

wrinklyo

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My wife tried to do eFiling, but got a "letter" from SARS saying her ID number was wrong and they needed supporting docs. Sent them everything she could think of but still eFiling brought up an error - outstanding docs. So made a telephonic appointment with SARS.
They phoned today and said that the last 3 digits of her ID have changed and they need the letter that Home Affairs sent her when it was changed. It was changed when they introduced bar coded IDs in 1998. They want a letter we (supposedly) got from Home Affairs 25 years ago. A quarter of a century ago. But for the last 15 years SARS have happily been sending and processing tax returns from my wife. The correct, new ID number has always appeared on her tax forms and correspondence and on eFiling - but now suddenly they have the wrong number on their records?
What the hell have they been doing for the last 25 years, that this only dawns on them now? Who keeps old tax letters for 25 years?
I am totally gobsmacked. My brain skips a gear when faced with this inhuman level of incompetence and can't get traction.
We've been told by SARS we have to go to Home affairs and sit in the queues all day to get a letter from them confirming her ID was changed.
Anybody else encounter this madness??
 
wrinklyo said:
My wife tried to do eFiling, but got a "letter" from SARS saying her ID number was wrong and they needed supporting docs. Sent them everything she could think of but still eFiling brought up an error - outstanding docs. So made a telephonic appointment with SARS.
They phoned today and said that the last 3 digits of her ID have changed and they need the letter that Home Affairs sent her when it was changed. It was changed when they introduced bar coded IDs in 1998. They want a letter we (supposedly) got from Home Affairs 25 years ago. A quarter of a century ago. But for the last 15 years SARS have happily been sending and processing tax returns from my wife. The correct, new ID number has always appeared on her tax forms and correspondence and on eFiling - but now suddenly they have the wrong number on their records?
What the hell have they been doing for the last 25 years, that this only dawns on them now? Who keeps old tax letters for 25 years?
I am totally gobsmacked. My brain skips a gear when faced with this inhuman level of incompetence and can't get traction.
We've been told by SARS we have to go to Home affairs and sit in the queues all day to get a letter from them confirming her ID was changed.
Anybody else encounter this madness??
Click to expand...

There was no letter that came with the new identity number from 1996 onwards. If she has an identity document with the new identity number, send them a copy and if they cannot update their systems with her official identity document, ignore all their future correspondence in this regard. They can go tell this to a judge and court and they will see what happens.

If she does not have an identity document with the new identity number from 1996 onwards, she has to go to Home Affairs and apply for a new issue of such identity document.
 
wrinklyo said:
My wife tried to do eFiling, but got a "letter" from SARS saying her ID number was wrong and they needed supporting docs. Sent them everything she could think of but still eFiling brought up an error - outstanding docs. So made a telephonic appointment with SARS.
They phoned today and said that the last 3 digits of her ID have changed and they need the letter that Home Affairs sent her when it was changed. It was changed when they introduced bar coded IDs in 1998. They want a letter we (supposedly) got from Home Affairs 25 years ago. A quarter of a century ago. But for the last 15 years SARS have happily been sending and processing tax returns from my wife. The correct, new ID number has always appeared on her tax forms and correspondence and on eFiling - but now suddenly they have the wrong number on their records?
What the hell have they been doing for the last 25 years, that this only dawns on them now? Who keeps old tax letters for 25 years?
I am totally gobsmacked. My brain skips a gear when faced with this inhuman level of incompetence and can't get traction.
We've been told by SARS we have to go to Home affairs and sit in the queues all day to get a letter from them confirming her ID was changed.
Anybody else encounter this madness??
Click to expand...

If you don't have the documentation, you can only get it from home affairs. Just get it done.

Also it doesn't take all day. I did my passport in about an hour from arrival to leaving.
 
rvZA said:
There was no letter that came with the new identity number from 1996 onwards. If she has an identity document with the new identity number, send them a copy and if they cannot update their systems with her official identity document, ignore all their future correspondence in this regard. They can go tell this to a judge and court and they will see what happens.

If she does not have an identity document with the new identity number from 1996 onwards, she has to go to Home Affairs and apply for a new issue of such identity document.
Click to expand...
True. Tell them if they have any evidence to the contrary , they should supply you with same so that you can confront Home Affairs.
 
wrinklyo said:
My wife tried to do eFiling, but got a "letter" from SARS saying her ID number was wrong and they needed supporting docs. Sent them everything she could think of but still eFiling brought up an error - outstanding docs. So made a telephonic appointment with SARS.
They phoned today and said that the last 3 digits of her ID have changed and they need the letter that Home Affairs sent her when it was changed. It was changed when they introduced bar coded IDs in 1998. They want a letter we (supposedly) got from Home Affairs 25 years ago. A quarter of a century ago. But for the last 15 years SARS have happily been sending and processing tax returns from my wife. The correct, new ID number has always appeared on her tax forms and correspondence and on eFiling - but now suddenly they have the wrong number on their records?
What the hell have they been doing for the last 25 years, that this only dawns on them now? Who keeps old tax letters for 25 years?
I am totally gobsmacked. My brain skips a gear when faced with this inhuman level of incompetence and can't get traction.
We've been told by SARS we have to go to Home affairs and sit in the queues all day to get a letter from them confirming her ID was changed.
Anybody else encounter this madness??
Click to expand...
The ID number was never changed with SARS but the new ID was used with institutions that sends third party data to SARS. It obviously creates confusion.
 
wrinklyo said:
My wife tried to do eFiling, but got a "letter" from SARS saying her ID number was wrong and they needed supporting docs. Sent them everything she could think of but still eFiling brought up an error - outstanding docs. So made a telephonic appointment with SARS.
They phoned today and said that the last 3 digits of her ID have changed and they need the letter that Home Affairs sent her when it was changed. It was changed when they introduced bar coded IDs in 1998. They want a letter we (supposedly) got from Home Affairs 25 years ago. A quarter of a century ago. But for the last 15 years SARS have happily been sending and processing tax returns from my wife. The correct, new ID number has always appeared on her tax forms and correspondence and on eFiling - but now suddenly they have the wrong number on their records?
What the hell have they been doing for the last 25 years, that this only dawns on them now? Who keeps old tax letters for 25 years?
I am totally gobsmacked. My brain skips a gear when faced with this inhuman level of incompetence and can't get traction.
We've been told by SARS we have to go to Home affairs and sit in the queues all day to get a letter from them confirming her ID was changed.
Anybody else encounter this madness??
Click to expand...

Personally if I were in this situation I would just keep submitting my tax returns regardless of if the Efiling system rejects it and tell them it's their problem and they must sort it out.
 
Pho3nix said:
Why would anyone knowingly piss off SARS?
Click to expand...

You are not pissing off anyone. If she submits her official identity document, they must correct their system. Easy as that. No letters or anything else needed. Once you have submitted this, or left a copy at one of their offices, you are clear and can ignore any correspondence further. They should just do their jobs and change it.

But, then again, I see in the near future that SARS too will go the way of the Post Office, SAA, and all the other likes with the staff they currently employ. They just need that extra push from law abiding citizens.
 
Send SARS a certified copy of your ID, with an affidavit stating that you have no knowledge of the letter and have diligently been submitting with this ID number for x years. Include finger prints and a DNA sample for verification.

I once had to prove my relationship to my wife and a marriage certificate wasn't acceptable.
 
Normally I would advise to ignore the inept muppets. But SARS can make your life very very difficult from what I understand. Especially now that the government is running out of other people's money to spend. They are apparently "going after" taxpayers.
 
TheSlinger said:
Send SARS a certified copy of your ID, with an affidavit stating that you have no knowledge of the letter and have diligently been submitting with this ID number for x years. Include finger prints and a DNA sample for verification.

I once had to prove my relationship to my wife and a marriage certificate wasn't acceptable.
Click to expand...
I had to send a photo holding my ID ( a few times, I may add) to prove that this is me. My ID and proof of address was not good enough.
 
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I almost have the same problem BUT mine is that I got a new Tax number when sequastrated in 2019. Problem is that nobody told me that you get a new tax number when sequastrated. Only found out this year when Sanlam could not pay me my benefit due to different tax numbers. had to go back to 2019 to redo all tax returns on the new number! And trying to get SARS to change to my new tax number is impossible - they don't call back and I cant apply to visit a branch on their website. a Pathetic system they have. Strangely, my new number exists on my e-filing?
 
rvZA said:
There was no letter that came with the new identity number from 1996 onwards. If she has an identity document with the new identity number, send them a copy and if they cannot update their systems with her official identity document, ignore all their future correspondence in this regard. They can go tell this to a judge and court and they will see what happens.

If she does not have an identity document with the new identity number from 1996 onwards, she has to go to Home Affairs and apply for a new issue of such identity document.
Click to expand...
She does have a new identity doc, and she updated to a smart ID card a few years ago as well. Her ID is totally legit and always has been.
 
I've just tried to do eFiling myself for my own tax, and I find that even though I click my 2023 IT12 it brings up the IT12 for 2013. Yes, 2013. I'm starting to realise that SARS must now be filled with incompetent idiots. This does not bode well for the working man in the street - as though we didn't have enough headaches already.
 
Werner1975 said:
I almost have the same problem BUT mine is that I got a new Tax number when sequastrated in 2019. Problem is that nobody told me that you get a new tax number when sequastrated. Only found out this year when Sanlam could not pay me my benefit due to different tax numbers. had to go back to 2019 to redo all tax returns on the new number! And trying to get SARS to change to my new tax number is impossible - they don't call back and I cant apply to visit a branch on their website. a Pathetic system they have. Strangely, my new number exists on my e-filing?
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what boggles my mind - they have the new number, all the info is in their possession already and has been for decades. Why can't they just get it out of their database? Sheez.
 
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