Don’t do it: Fake bidding can get you banned and fined

Shill bidding, or the attempt to drive up the price of an online auction with your own bids, is illegal and can get you banned from the online auction website. — dpa

BERLIN: Bidding on your own offers at online auctions with a second account in order to drive up the price might seem tempting, but it can mean big trouble if you’re caught.

Not only are you likely to be banned from Ebay and similar platforms, but you might also be taken to court and forced to pay compensation.