[meteorite-list] Is EBAY bidding fixed?

[GREG LINDH]

       To all,

    I am new to EBAY and to meteorite collecting.  I have purchased 13 
meteorites total.  I've gotten most of them by bidding on EBAY.  I've 
noticed that many times someone will bid for an item and continually bid the 
item up even though nobody is bidding against them.  They may start out by 
bidding $10.00 for an item, then the same person raises the price to $30.00, 
then $50.00, then $80.00, etc., etc.  They artificially and unnecessarily 
raise the price so that the item finally sells for a *much* higher price 
than it would have gone for if this hadn't been done.
    Either the bidder is a moron or he is working with the seller to up the 
price.
    Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me?

    Greg Lindh