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.

“Shill bidding” is the name given to the practice whereby sellers try to raise the price of an action using their own bids. Bidders who are deprived of a bargain by these fake bids can sue and receive damages.

Sellers who submit sham bids could also face fraud charges, possibly resulting in a hefty fine or even imprisonment.

Anyone who is deprived of a bargain due to fake bids should not only report it to the respective online auction website, but also the law enforcement authorities, according to Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer protection organisation.

Doing so is the only way to enforce possible claims for damages against the fake bidder. – dpa