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BidCactus review: Auction site is a con!! 170

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4:34 pm EDT
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I was excited to try this auction site. However, after spending $75 (it cost 75 cents for each bid!) and a whole day (from 10 a.m. to 6pm), I didn't even win one bid! Please DO NOT waste your time and money. This is an auction site for people who have the extra dough to throw away. If by chance you do win a bid, you most likely would have spent so much money buying the rights to bid at 75 cents per bid, you would be better off just buying the product yourself!

Update by djdj
Aug 10, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

Bidcactus is a scam, there are only a few auctions running, and most everyone is bidding at the same time, chances are you are NOT going to win, meanwhile you are out the amount of money for bidding! Totally agree, BIDCACTUS is a SCAM
!

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170 comments
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Steve01
, US
Sep 22, 2009 12:52 pm EDT

http://bidcactusisascam.blogspot.com/2009/08/bidcactuscom-and-pennyauctionwatchcom.html

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Steve01
, US
Sep 22, 2009 12:52 pm EDT

http://bidcactusisascam.blogspot.com/2009/08/pennyauctionwatchcom-owner-is-convicted.html

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theprosumer
Matteson, US
Sep 19, 2009 2:24 am EDT

I have a friend who wanted me to help him with starting one of these auction sites. So I have been reading message boards to see what people think of them. There is a lot of concern about scams. I have my own site at surveysandprizes.com where I give people points for taking surveys which they can use to get rewards. I suggested to him that maybe I could set up one of my rewards as free bid packages for his auction site. Do you guys think that would be a viable way to take the fear of scam out of these types of sites? This would basically allow people to earn free bids on an ongoing basis.

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StayceeLynnS1978
Verona, US
Sep 19, 2009 1:28 am EDT

I just stumbled onto Bidcactus.com today. I bought 25 bids for $18.75 right away. That money was gone in less than an hour. After about 1/2 hour of watching the different bidders, I started to think it was a scam. Now, about 12 hours later, I'm back on the sight watching again. All I see are the same people winning the auctions. I truly believe this sight is a scam and hope that you won't buy into it like I did. I just wish that i would've saw this sight before blowing money on it! I hope that this will help deter you from making the same mistake that I did. Keep your money 'cus it's really not worth it.

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marlodakota
Sneads, US
Sep 14, 2009 8:00 pm EDT

I wish I had seen this complaints board before I too had lost money at bidcactus. After spending to much money and time, it became obvious that most winning bidders had an autobidder program placing their bids.

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daivalin
Burlington, US
Sep 14, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

It's a game of chicken. Instead of swerving your car because you think the other guy won't, you make the next bid because you think nobody else will. (You want to make the last bid, all others just cost you money.) Simple as that. Some very good gamblers win the items, everybody else loses their money and the site makes a fortune. Also, I have no doubt it is crooked because of the prevalence of one ID making the first (incredibly stupid, never-winning) bid immediately after the item is listed. Obviously a company shill, either human or computer. THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS WON, so unlike e-bay, there is no way to see if a bidder is legitimate or fake. I vote for a lot of fakes who either work for the site or are the site computers themselves. Either way, don't waste your time and money unless you are a rich masochist.

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Tony_Me
, US
Sep 09, 2009 10:15 pm EDT

Its a scam and this proves it.

http://www.pennyauctionwatch.com/2009/09/penny-auction-owner-asks-for-fake-members/

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LadyJane
Corry, US
Sep 04, 2009 4:41 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I recently came across the site and decided to watch and see what happens. I saw two people, named gold777diamond and alisa2333 win WELL more than 3 items in a day. There was one time when these two people were winning all 8 auctions. And gold777diamond would bid on something the second they posted it, which to me seems REALLY fishy since who bids at the very start when they know everyone waits til the end and then the clock adds time? Either this person has billions of dollars to waste, or it's someone hired to increase prices and take money with lost bets. This person always also seems to win the "bid on bids" items. Seems like a huge scam to me.

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RobbedbyBidcactus
, US
Aug 31, 2009 7:30 pm EDT

I was a high performing bidder on bidcactus. I can't disclose my bidder name but have won numerous items!
Although I received some low cost prizes - i.e -$20 Dunkin Donuts Gift Card, $25 Barnes n Noble Gift Card

I NEVER RECEIVED THE SAMSUNG TV THAT I WON

I NEVER RECEIVED THE APPLE MAC MINI I WON

I NEVER RECEIVED THE $100 AMEX GIFT CARD I WON

STAY AWAY- KIP (supposedly a Customer Service Rep) & Marjorie (part Owner) ARE SCAMMERS!

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seb33sf
San Francisco, US
Aug 15, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

Thanks for posting. I have been looking at this site without buying, and it really looks to me like a gambling site masquerading as an auction site. I say this because:

1) People who lose at traditional auctions generally walk away empty handed without having spent anything, except perhaps a small membership or entry fee. On Bidcactus, you can lose virtually unlimited amounts of money without ever winning an auction.
2) People who win at traditional auctions generally pay for the item itself, whereas gamblers spend money by throwing their chips on the table hoping to win. On Bidcactus, the final sale prices are minimal, but all those losing $0.75 bids add up fast.
3) Auctions typically make money through item sales or by taking a small percentage of the sale price from the seller. Gambling enterprises make money from losing bets.
4) Winning on Bidcactus has an element of basic strategy (bid at the last second), but it seems to be mostly luck. Few people on eBay would stop bidding on a $50 gift card because its price hit $1. While traditional auctions also contain elements of unpredictability, the person with the greatest chance of winning is the one willing to pay the most for the item, not the one who lucks out.
5) A surprising number of items on Bidcaster are cash equivalents (either bid packs or gift cards). Play cash to win cash. Need I say more?

These are just my opinions, of course. In Bidcactus' defense, their site clearly explains how the bidding works and how they make money. They even recommend watching several auctions before jumping in. Barring any laws to the contrary, I have no issues with betting-for-fun sites. However, I am still a bit disturbed by the idea of people jumping into this with an auction mindset as opposed to a betting mindset (as you appeared to do). The methodology of Bidcactus has significant differences from typical auctions. I would prefer to see this site promoted more as a play-for-fun site (with perhaps some pages added to explain problem gambling and where to get help).

After reading your story about losing $75 and 8 hours of time (sorry to hear that), I have concluded that this is the most likely outcome for me as well. I am going to pass. Again, thanks for posting. This has been a really good reality check.

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