In a survey conducted by the Income Tax Inspectors in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, it was found that out of 46 businesses examined, about 30% did not record income.
The reviews focused on the cities of Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Givatayim, and Kiryat Ono, and included focused observation and preliminary shopping in the businesses.
In a restaurant that was reviewed, a pre-purchase was made that was not recorded in the business books. In addition, during observation of the place, a customer seemed to pay for a dish and the payment was not recorded at the checkout. Asked why the sales were not recorded in the books, the restaurant owner replied: "The worker's stealing from me."
Also at inspection of a fruit and vegetable store the worker was held responsible, when it was found that a preliminary inspection conducted by visitors to the store was not recorded at the cash register. The owner claimed in response: "I think my employee made a typing mistake."
In another fruit and vegetable business, the store manager received money from customers and did not register them in the business books. The audit revealed that he had not registered about NIS 4,000. Asked why he did not register the money, he replied: "I have two new employees who don't know how to use the cash register."
Looking at a business selling ready-made food, it emerged that the business owner did not register payments at the checkout. To ensure that he did not record income, inspectors made additional purchases that were not either recorded.
Asked why he did not register the money he received, the business owner replied that he had a special licence to register income at the end of the day. An examination of the wording of the license revealed that it had not been valid since December 2017.