I'm sorry for thinking that you normally work for cash under the table if that's not the case but that statement about the GC making you pay tax sounds rather suspicious.
A GC does not make you pay taxes all he can do is report money that he paid to you as a sub contractor. He is required to keep these records for both the IRS and his insurance carrier. When he is audited by his workman's comp. carrier they will want to know the name of every sub contractor hired by the GC and the amount paid out.
If you are keeping proper records a 1099 is nothing to worry about because if you are audited by the IRS they can go directly to your bank records. They can find out how much money you take in, with or without the 1099s. They don't give a darn where you got it just how you can account for it. That's why you have to keep records, to show that it's not all profit.
You also need to keep records for your liability insurance carrier because they don't offer blanket coverage for just any job that someone thinks you may or may not have done.
As far as a GC sending out bogus 1099s, only an idiot would try to do that. His accountant should be checking his banking records to make sure that checks cut can substantiate any expenses paid out. If he paid in cash he would need a receipt for money received by others . You are only allowed a few bucks for casual labor and it's best to keep records of those ( just in case).