My "host" computer is WRONG

[debrinaldi]

I am fed up with Verizon support. Have been dealing with this issue since March 27th.  I am in Southern Maryland and yet Verizon has me going through a Washington DC Host.  I am disabled and do about 90% of all of my shopping online and I am constantly thrown into DC and I am being forced to pay DC tax on such items as Services that are taxed exempt in Maryland.  2 neightbors have this service and they show up as MD.  Verizon claims I am too close to the MD Host this is crap or just excuses to me.  I now just want to block my location permanently so all online shopping services will ask for zip code or location prior to ordering and they the techs do not understand plain English

[smith6612 · Accepted solution]

Most of this has to do with GeoLocation databases that many websites use. If you have your IP address changed you might be able to resolve this problem. Otherwise it'll have to take some time for the databases to update.

Verizon uses a pool of IPs that originate from a specific POP. Verizon may have the POP in Washington D.C. and thus by default, IPs are geolocated to Washington D.C. instead of Maryland. The IP address you have might have been using by someone in D.C. in the past, or the block might be overall used mostly by D.C. customers.

I am surprised the sites you're using are not charging the tax based on your billing and shipping address. Many sites I've shopped at do that.