What is covered in Shill Bidding Detection?

Detect auction manipulation: seller self-bidding, coordinated rings, and price inflation. IP matching, pattern analysis, penalties.

How does Jurassic Depot help buyers avoid fossil fraud?

Listings require provenance and restoration disclosure. Buyers can request document review, use expert services, and rely on buyer protection for material misrepresentation.

Should I buy fossils without paperwork?

No. Missing locality, land type, or chain-of-custody documents is a major risk for illegal material, fakes, and failed disputes.

Shill Bidding

Seller or associate bids on their own listing to inflate the price. Auction fraud, illegal in most jurisdictions.

How It Works

Self-bidding: Seller creates second account, bids on own listing. If shill wins → cancels and relists.

Friend/family: Seller asks someone to bid. Same pattern — inflates price, never completes.

Bidding ring: Multiple sellers collude, bidding on each other's listings for artificial competition.

Red Flags

— New account bids aggressively on one seller only

— Same bidder across multiple listings from same seller

— Bidder has 0 completed purchases — never wins

— Bids only during low-traffic hours

— Round-number algorithmic bidding pattern

— Winning shill bid cancelled, item relisted within days

— Same IP/device for buyer and seller accounts

— Bidder account created same week as listing

— Immediate counter-bid after real bid placed

— Bidder never communicates, never pays

Detection Systems

IP/Device Matching

Same IP or device fingerprint between buyer and seller → auto-flag in bid_risk_flags.

Account Linking

Same payment method, shipping address, or phone → linked accounts in account_risk_links.

Pattern Analysis

New account + only bids on one seller + never wins + cancels when wins = shill pattern.

Cancel/Relist Tracking

Frequent cancellation + relist of same item triggers pattern review.

Off-Hour Detection

Bids during 2-6am local with no other activity → flagged for review.

Penalties

Confirmed shill bidding → immediate permanent ban of all linked accounts. Seller forfeits active listings. Affected buyers notified and refunded above genuine market price. Zero tolerance for auction manipulation.

Image Defense Layers

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Image Risk Scan

Image checks look for manipulation or fabrication.

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EXIF/C2PA

Metadata verification flags missing camera data.

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Video/Scale Photo

Buyers request dated video or scale photo before bidding.

Defense Guide