Bidding fee auction websites have taken the Internet by a storm, with many getting rich at the expense of unwitting consumers. On the other hand, some sites have earned partial endorsements from the Better Business Bureau, a reputable consumer advocate that assigns ratings to companies based on customer complaint volume. One penny auction named Orange Bidz has received numerous online complaints. If you’re worried about a potential OrangeBidz scam, you should know the following.

High Risk, High Reward

According to both the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau, most people tend to lose money when they participate at penny auctions. That said, many consumers enjoy risking their money at these sites, because they view it as a form of high risk, high reward entertainment. If you get a rush competing for discount electronics and store gift cards, bidding fees auctions might be for you; on the other hand, if you are looking to score consistent discounts, you’ll be better off shopping at site that offer deals from local vendors, such as Groupon or LivingSocial.

Is OrangeBidz a Scam?

The FTC and BBB warn that many penny auction websites use automated bots or “shills” to make fake bids on behalf of the websites, themselves. Intended to cheat consumers, this deceptive strategy can drive up prices and prolong auctions. There are numerous negative OrangeBidz reviews accusing the company of using such tactics. While it’s not known whether these accusations are true; Orange Bidz does not use any sort of third-party monitoring system to ensure that each bid is made by users and not company employees or computer bots.

On the other hand, the BBB recently gave QuiBids an A- rating after it contracted with Grant Thornton to audit the company’s business practices, ensuring that no bots were used to cheat its users.

What Consumers Should Know

There is no direct evidence that OrangeBidz.com uses shills to cheat its customers; however, if you are worried about a potential Orange Bidz scam, there are other places to spend your money. Currently Orange Bidz is not rated by the BBB. On the other hand, many penny auction websites are. Before spending your hard-earned money, you’d be well-advised to check the BBB’s ratings to see if a particular bidding fee auction website has received a disturbing amount of complaints.