Originally Posted by Bluspacecow
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Don ,
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OK, I was going to do like yu did, but decide it as not the best way.
What my problem is that everyone is taking Curse's word as fact without investigating it. Curse
has done all of what they accuse WM of. They don't do most of it any more, but it is a case of "the kettle calling the pot black".
Curse hids behind "we are a private company and don't have to report our finances to anyone" instead of being 100% honest in what they are doing. Because of a Venture Capital award they need to turn a real profit, which is why Venture Capital companies invest in other companies.
And unlike those working for WoWI and other sites, Curse's top employees income comes from Curse.com and not working real jobs and doing addon hosting on the side. That they made Curse into a job that pays their bills is rather cool, and I give them much credit for that, but the way the do it is really unethical. They are more like AIG CEOs then the hardworking desk jockeys. Curse is no longer trying to provide a resource for helping the gaming community but rather in the business of trying to profit from the gaming community.
Whereas other sites that host addons look to pay for the costs of doing it, Curse is looking to profit in any way possible from providing the resource.
As for the "Curse Rewards Program", I think this says it all: "Section 6041(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and associated regulations and rulings, generally requires us to file an information return for payments made to each participant in the Curse Rewards Program who receives payments of $600 or more in any tax year. This reporting requirement applies to redemptions of Points for cash and to redemptions of Points other than for cash, including redemptions for gift cards and the like. In order to satisfy our reporting obligations required by the IRS, we have to obtain an IRS Form W-9 from each Curse Rewards Program participant to which this rule applies."
Sec. 6041. Information at source
(a) Payments of $600 or more
All persons engaged in a trade or business and making payment in
the course of such trade or business to another person, of rent,
salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations,
emoluments, or other fixed or determinable gains, profits, and
income (other than payments to which section 6042(a)(1),
6044(a)(1), 6047(e), 6049(a), or 6050N(a) applies, and other than
payments with respect to which a statement is required under the
authority of section 6042(a)(2), 6044(a)(2), or 6045), or $600 or
more in any taxable year, or, in the case of such payments made by
the United States, the officers or employees of the United States
having information as to such payments and required to make returns
in regard thereto by the regulations hereinafter provided for,
shall render a true and accurate return to the Secretary, under
such regulations and in such form and manner and to such extent as
may be prescribed by the Secretary, setting forth the amount of
such gains, profits, and income, and the name and address of the
recipient of such payment.
I get more rewards than that from Sprint and Best Buy and they don't report me.
Curse is using this a way to defer taxes Curse has to pay for its income. Curse is not obligated to do this since the authors are not employed by Curse in any way that meet the requirements of this section.
I'm sure the more you "dig into" Curse, the more you'll find that Curse is no longer in the business of helping the gaming community, but it is definately in the business of turning a real profit.
I'm just saying stop taking Curse at face value and start researching them. Kudos for them in creating a means of income where they don't need to work a real job, but shame on them for lying to us about what they are doing.