>>Shill bidding has been going on since ebay got started.
Actually, since auctions got started (live and virtual).
I could write a book on "auctions". It would scare the hell out of you.
We used to go to an auction house in a small town in the next county. It was a pleasant way to spend Sat. evening and for little outlay we practically furnished our home with very nice things. Anyway we went one Sat evening and they were CLOSED. Seems the auctioneer wasn't paying the people whose items he was selling. He owed mega bucks to them. He was arrested and his license revoked.