"Radioman390" wrote in message
...

8 EBay Sellers Admit to Phony Bids

By MICHAEL GORMLEY
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Eight eBay sellers were ordered to pay nearly
$90,000 in
restitution and fines after admitting they bid up products online to
inflate
the prices.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said more than 120 people
will receive
restitution in the settlement of the three cases, which wrapped up
last week in
state courts.

Spokesman Darren Dopp said the cases stemmed from specific
complaints, but the
office has not conducted a broad investigation of the online auction
industry
and doesn't know how widespread the practice of phony bidding is.


I think I can safely guarantee to this guy that the practice is more
widespread that 8 people and $90K. That said, IMO "victims" of shill
bidding -still- have to make a conscious decision to outbid the shill,
and really are at least somewhat to blame if they overpay. This
practice doesn't strike me as being as insidious as misrepresenting
the condition of items (a la an infamous radio seller on eBay) or of
simply not sending the item, which is really where eBay and law
enforcement should be concentrating their efforts.