[Jeff/Illinois]

I lean towards the 'shill bid' philosophy too. I've been around too many crooked auctioneers and have seen too many 'deals' flying around. Too many shady things going on. Pulling bids out of thin air from bidders in the very back of the crowd that don't exist. All kinds of crap.

Trust no one.

Or at a Model A cars and parts auction I was at two years ago, where the auctioneer would call out a bid for one dollar and then immediately close the bidding 'Well, Mike buys another one today....' Mike was buying NOS radiators and excellent blocks, fenders, rims, you name it. Several of us had our hands in the air, and were complaining loudly. But the auctioneer didn't 'see' us even though we were right in front of him. He stopped the sale and said 'if you want to bid boys, get your hands in the air so we can see you. '

I walked away and will never go to another one of his sales.

So in answer to the first post, 'YES" all kinds of crooked crap happens at auctions. You have to be aware of what is going on around you. Phone bidders don't ride well with me at all.

Oh yes one other thing. Just look at all the junk cars trading hands on E-Bay and even the major auction houses and classic car consignment shops. Many are mis-represented. People are buying them sight unseen, the sellers are stating that they are 'mint' and such when many are pure junk. Barn Find don't you love that one, it was probably a problem car is why it got shoved in a barn in the first place. Anyway, the buyer finds out too late when they drop this junk off at his/her house.

Today's world. No shortage of liars and con men out there.