If the OP would show us the actual Auction number, we could all look
at the bids ourselves and see just what happened.

Want to bet that number is never posted?

======================================
"Alan" wrote in message
...
It's very possible to get lots of bids in the last 5 seconds with
automatic sniping. If you bid 333 and some one bid 600 on the close with
someone else bidding 700 it would go for 620.

Also if there was a reserve of 600 and the highest bid till then was 333
then last minute someone bid 700 it would sell for 620 jumping directly to
620 from your bid





ElParagon wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:24:10 -0800, "Richard C."
wrote:
"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...
Five timers in past 2 weeks, I was the highest bidder until a few
seconds before deadline.

Then, miraculously I get a notice that in the last few seconds, some
mysterious buyer overbid me by several HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, rather than
the $10 which is supposed to happen.

On several of his lots, I bid $333 or so, then get his message that
someone paid $690!! In last few seconds!1

=======================================
You sound like a troll!

If you bid $333 or so, the most the next bidder could go would be $350
(or so).

That is why the OP was complaining.

He had the Ebay IM to notify him of higher bids.
There were no messages from Ebay, which seems to indicate that there were
no
higher bids than his.

In the last few seconds, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for bids to jump HUNDREDS
OF
DOLLARS, even by sniping!!

You obviously do not know how eBay works.
=========================================

This is happening repeatedly, which is highly suspicious.

I see in newsgroups, apparently this type of activity is happening with
some other regular sellers.

Is this legal?

Certainly it discourages normal people from bidding, especially when
combined with supposed "private bidders"

This particular Power seller has a large number of "private bidders"
which
seems very suspicious.

Pro tem, I am not bidding on suspect sellers.


By the way, Ebay ARe investigating this New York based seller, since
there
have been a number of complaints.