Namepros member Hookbox posted that to test NameJet’s system, he created three accounts and could be set up to shill if need be. I want to make clear before people lose their minds, he did it to point out the problems with monitoring for shill bids.
So now I have 3 accounts at Namejet. My original account and two more I just opened. The second and third account are totally fake with fake names and info and each was opened with different email addresses and a visa gift card as the credit card info and google phone numbers.
I placed multiple bids on the same names from all 3 accounts.
I am ready to shill bid if anyone needs my services. I will be shilling on my own auctions when needed.
I am obviously kidding.
I did this to see how easy it is to shill bid if I really wanted to. How the f*ck in the year 2017 am I able to have 3 accounts at a supposedly secure auction house all from the same exact IP?
What a joke, and they wonder why people don’t trust their company. They can’t even secure the most basic entry point for people to easily shill.
Now there was a reply talking about technically different users could use the same ip:
Even though unlikely, it is not impossible for 100% different customers to be shown as having the same IP on NameJet (or anywhere), such as where both are connected using the same 3g/4g provider (cellular modems) in the same city. What NameJet should do is to check for duplicate accounts at least at the moment somebody decided to “verify” their account to bid $2500(?) or more. Which they may or may not be doing already. In fact they should better create a policy on duplicate accounts…
I think Hookbox’s exercise shows that setting up the potential for shilling is hard to defeat, ( I know many have known this for decades). While you may not be able to prevent the set up 100% there needs to be systems that can analyze bidding patterns in real time to alert the site admins to possible nefarious behavior.
You could get around the duplicate IP by using a VPS. I think they need to drop third party listings. The brand is getting hammered by them.
Agreed VPS would be very easy to use to get around the appearance of shilling.
Systems in place can often be gamed over time. But competent humans dedicated to analyzing bid and transfer data, humans investigating all reported instances of malfeasance, and humans watching over the systems in place helps identify actions that bots use to game the system.
Yes this does cost extra money. But if you are serious about your brand and the value you provide to your customers than you pay this extra cost.
Clearly internal control weaknesses are present. The most glaring appears to have been addressed.
Additionally, when those who are caught violating TOS are not permanently banned and just hit with a slap on the wrist than it does little to discourage them and others from doing it again in a more sophisticated form.
@Garth,
I responded to your idea inside NamePros.
Sellers will be looking around now. Why list with a platform where buyers refuse to participate? The auction platform with all possible anit-shill technology will come to the fore.
Why would you need multiple shill bidding accounts? Just sign up at the Chinese marketplaces so you can bid as first and/or twotwo, you’ll look like one of thousands of Chinese investors and you can go to town.
NameJet won’t even be able to investigate because of the proxy aliases, they’ll have no access to your contact information, IP address, or anything else. And no users will question it because everyone already sees first and twotwo as legit, when in fact they are the biggest security hole NameJet ever turned a blind eye to.