First UK eBay Seller Prosecuted For Online Auction Fixing
PAUL Barrett, 39, from Stanley, is the first eBay seller in the UK to be prosecuted for online auction fixing – he bid against himself to inflate the price on his own items.
Skipton Magistrates’ Court heard that Barrett, who hires out minibuses for a living, was called “shanconpaul” when selling and “paulthebusman” when buying.
(He should learn from online poker and have pals in other parts of the world to fix the thing for him, allegedly.)
Barrett pleaded ignorance. He says he did not know bidding on his own lots was a criminal act. Lots like a pie and pasty warmer priced at £127. Yes, two people were bidding for that. And Bernard Manning is dead.
In court, Barrett admits 10 breaches of the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
He will be sentenced soon enough.
Posted: 7th, June 2010 | In: Technology Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
