Bid Retraction, am I being Scammed?

Question

Another user and myself were bidding on an item. He was in the lead and I was frankly done bidding. Then he retracted his top bid a few hours ago and left me at the top with my absolute top bid as the winning bid. Am I being scammed by this seller using a shill bidder to extract the top $ out of me? I would like to lower my top bid now that this seems shady. How can I do that? There doesn't seem to be a selection in the retraction request drop down for "shill bidder".

krazzykats · Answer

Retract your bid citing the wrong amount entered, then place the maximum bid you’re willing to make. Retracting a bid | eBay

gosimus · Answer

@echolan < Am I being scammed by this seller using a shill bidder > Possibly. It sounds like it. Another possibility is a sport bidder, or someone messing with you. Or someone who got caught up in the bidding war and regretted it late. We'd have to see the bidding history to get a better idea, but even then still might not be able to determine definitively. The solution to reduce the likelihood of this happening again is to bid late in the auction, in the dwindling final seconds if you can manage it. The idea is to not leave enough time for the other guy to react to your bid. And to not leave time for nibblers to peck at your bid, inching it up a dollar at a time. Before you even place a bid, do your soul searching to decide what is the most the item is worth to you. The very most you're willing to pay and not a dollar more. Take into account shipping and sales tax. Get that number fixed in your mind. Add a few odd cents to the number. As late in the auction as possible, bid that amount. Bid once and don't react if you get outbid. Since you decided on the most it's worth to you, if you do get outbid, then at least you have the consolation of knowing that the other schmuck paid too much. Since you'll be bidding late, it's possible your bid might be tied by an earlier bid. That's why you add the odd 17¢ or 42¢ or whatever you choose. To win what would otherwise have been a tie.