Shill bids.
The domain community of NamePros identified and terminated a shill bid situation in its making, ending it with a the closing of the associated accounts.
A thread seeking offers for the domain URUN.com for sale escalated quickly, sending offers into the thousands of dollars.
One small problem: one of the bidders was a shill account.
NamePros moderators swooped in following reports and banned the shill-bidder account, Mehmet1121. The seller’s account was temporarily disabled, and after a thorough investigation it has now been re-instated.
An update was posted here, and we have edited this article to reflect that.
In another recent prompt action by NamePros members and moderators, the evaluation exchange for Emerge.com soon identified that it’s a stolen domain name.
NamePros has in place extensive measures to combat fraud, shill accounts and the like, but it also relies on its members to report such unlawful activity.
Good to know the community works!