Are phony (shill) bids allowed?

Absolutely Not.

TheAuctions.ca does not allow, endorse, or support this practice, which is defined as the act of bidding (or having someone else bid on your behalf) on your own auction in order to raise the final sale price. This very practice is counter to the transparency we stand for. Our preauthorization is part of the protection we provide to the seller (and bidders) to help in thwarting this type of conduct.