Volume III

Issue : 4: February 24, 2005

• Canadian Federal Court of Appeal Issues Judgment in Privacy Case (Englander v. Telus)
• Online Information Broker Sued for Failing to Protect Confidential Database
• New Zealand Restaurant Fined for Out-of-Date Menu Information on its Website
• Canadian Competition Bureau Sweeps Internet for Scams and Spam
• First SPIM Arrest
• Court Finds Jury Members Should not Use Internet for Coming to Decisions
• Dutch Court Prohibits Web-based Gambling
• Motion Picture Association of American Shuts Down File-Swapping Site
• Record Fine for DJ's MP3 Piracy
• Washington State Court Denies AOL Choice of Jurisdiction Clause
• EU Parliament Rejects Proposed Law on Software Patents
• Canadian Federal Government Publishes Its Secure Electronic Signature Regulations
• Lawsuit Alleges eBay's Bidding Practices are Illegal

Home > Volume III > Issue 4: February 24, 2005 > Lawsuit Alleges eBay's Bidding Practices are Illegal

Lawsuit Alleges eBay's Bidding Practices are Illegal

A Pennsylvania man, Glenn Block, is suing eBay in a potential class-action lawsuit over its bidding practices. Mr. Block alleges that eBay illegally forces highest bidders to overpay for the auctioned items. While Mr. Block was bidding on an item on eBay, he received an email from eBay that stated that he was the highest bidder and warned that he could be outbid unless he increased his maximum bid. He responded to the email and eBay increased his bid from $US110 to $US112.50. Mr. Block claims that he could have won the item at $US110 and that eBay had forced him to overpay. An eBay spokesperson, Hani Durzy, stated that it seemed that Mr. Block had completely misunderstood the manner in which the bidding system functions. Mr. Durzy also stated that eBay only notifies the highest bidders who could be outbid when they have reached their present maximum bid and that the decision to increase a maximum bid is voluntary.

For additional information, visit:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050224/80/fd4y7.html