Yes, and when I reported it to EBay and withdrew my bid EBay replied that there was no proof that had happened even tho I offered a lot of proof.
You're right-eBay has gotten more and more unwilling to go after shill bidders, even when presented with clear proof. The standard of proof need not be that of a court of law. It's a private business that makes its own rules. They can bar someone from access if they choose. The simple truth is that eBay makes more money when shilling occurs, and they make only a token effor to stop it.
I have better luck bidding on multiple items of the same type (or very similar) then I can stick it to the shills and ask the seller to prove the highest bid was a real sale.