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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;benhur767, post: 3708890, member: 36818&quot;]I worked for a company that ran online auctions out of NYC that engaged in shill bidding. The owner would place bids on behalf of himself (sometimes he owned the item up for auction) or a consignor, usually someone he had a business agreement with. The shills maxed out the bidders&#039; max bid. I didn&#039;t stay long because I didn&#039;t want to be involved with a company and with people who engaged in illegal activity. It was so egregious that I quit my position without another job lined up — you know, the thing you are advised never to do.</p><p><br /></p><p>I don&#039;t know about now, but at the time (about a decade ago) NY auction laws didn&#039;t apply to online auctions conducted by people who were not licensed auctioneers or whose business wasn&#039;t an auction house (neither applied in this case). It wasn&#039;t an &quot;auction house&quot; but it ran online auctions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Nonetheless, this activity violates U.S. Department of Commerce trade regulations and is a federal crime. It doesn&#039;t matter what the local or state regulations are. Shill bidding over the internet, regardless of the euphemism used to describe it or whatever excuse is being used, is illegal and considered theft or fraud, and stealing an amount over five hundred dollars over the internet through fraudulent international transactions is a felony under federal law.</p><p><br /></p><p>I don&#039;t remember all the details of the laws so I may be inaccurate in relating the specifics I mention above, but I researched it extensively at the time. The point is that if you suspect a U.S. business of shill bidding over the internet, then contact the International Trade Administration <a href="https://www.trade.gov" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.trade.gov" rel="nofollow">https://www.trade.gov</a> If it&#039;s company based in Europe, then each country will have it&#039;s own laws and you should look into them and contact the appropriate agency.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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