Bidou.ca Acquired by Questionable Penny Auction Site Ziinga


Questionable Malta based penny auction site Ziinga.com recently purchased Canada based penny auction site Bidou.com.

From the Reuters stock quote release,

Nio Inc Acquires Les Encheres Bidou Inc. and Issues New Shares as Consideration for Transaction

“Nio Inc announced that the Company is expanding its business in Internet auctions by acquiring Bidou.ca in Canada. Bidou.ca is an internet auction platform similar to Nio’s existing Ziinga.com and Wippy.com. The acquisition will give Nio access to Bidou’s user base of around 170,000 users, mainly in the Canadian market. Nio will transfer Bidou.ca to its own internet auction platform, and move Bidou’s operations to Manila, expecting reductions in overall costs going forward. No employees, lease commitments or other liabilities will be part of the transaction. Bidou.ca is owned by Les Encheres Bidou Inc., a company incorporated in Quebec, Canada. Upon closing of the transaction, Nio will issue 1 million new Nio shares as consideration for all shares in Les Encheres Bidou Inc. The number of outstanding shares in Nio after the transaction will be 150,924,309. The agreement is subject to due diligence. The acquisition is expected to be completed in March 2013.”

Here’s what Bidou looked like prior to Nio’s acquisition:

bidou

Notice the end prices ranging from as little as only $0.05 (5 bids received) to $1.35 from this screenshot taken from the Library of Congress’ WayBackMachine from January of 2012, March of 2013 there really wasn’t much of a change in auction activity and bidding (the archived page doesn’t render as good as this one) Just 3 weeks ago a DVR system valued at $459 went for just under $1.40, less than 140 bids from all bidders. To today where 6 items are ending at the same time and include high value items such as a new iPad, iPad mini, iPod Touch, $240 gift card

As you can see in the stock quote release Ziinga also owns another penny auction, Wippy.com. All three sites, Wippy, Ziinga and Bidou all appear to be separate penny auctions, but as you can see if you go to all three, they’re all just different interfaces for Nio’s first site, Ziinga. All of the auctions are the same, all of the bidder s bidding are the same, the only thing different are the company names listed on the bottom and the site’s branding:

bidou-ca-uk
ziinga

wippyWe’ve been watching Ziinga for a few years now and after posing questions about this penny auction site we’ve received a lot of very negative reviews from Ziinga users.

After a tip from a reader which spurred us to dig a bit deeper we found that  software developer who provides support won and bid on a number of auctions: See  Does This Indicate Questionable Bidding Practices on Ziinga? 

One Penny Auction Watch member recently posted the following in the Penny Auction Watch Forum:

 “Ziinga: Suspicious behavior

Bidou.ca, one of my favorite Canadian penny auctions sites recently closed down and were bought by another company. It turns out it was Ziinga.

I had no bids left in my Bidou account. So I tried my login information on the Ziinga site and surprisingly it worked.

Now here is where the suspicious behavior kicks in. I’m poking around the site and decide to check my account information.

Apparently I won an auction. Never having bought any bids and participating in any auctions I managed to win a crappy Samsung phone.

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

I know this auction site is shady and I will never buy any bids or participate in any of their crooked auctions.

How do we shut these guys down?

ziinga

 

 

 

That’s why online pharmacies is becoming more popular over the last years. Well-known are remedies which are used to reduce inflammation caused by inflammation of the skeletal muscle etc. There were only few examples. Did somebody tell you about canadian generic Viagra? Maybe you yet know about the question. Sexual malfunction can be a result of a physical condition. Even when it has a physical why, psychological problems can make the disorder worse. Sex drive problems are so commonly a product of how you feel that there is some to that “headache” saying after all.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
About the author: Connect with me on Google+
29 comments… add one
  • Smithfieldarmory March 26, 2013, 3:23 pm

    When you first posted about Ziinga using shills/bots last year, I followed your link to the back door admin account that was left open and placed well over a few thousand bids on over 15 auctions at the same time that still had well over 13,000 bids in it after I was finished having fun and never “won” a single auction even after placing several hundred bids on auto on several of the auctions. I can’t believe web sites like that are not banned and I still can’t believe there is no regulatory agency that oversees Penny Auction web sites. And now they are going to be doing the same thing on the .ca site…guaranteed. No wonder they make so much money STEALING from unknowing victims.

    Reply
  • Sharon May 29, 2013, 8:36 am

    I recently joined this site, i won a bid i received a receipt for the item i won, i checked my account which stated that i won receive my item until i have validated my account but they had already taken the money from my account! Not only that they have also charged me for a gold membership i knew nothing about. Aparently, when you win your first bid you are entered into a gold membership. They agreed to refund me for the item i cant receive but wont refund me for the unauthourised money they took out of my account for the membership i knew nothing about!!!!

    ABSOLUTE RIP OFF!!!! SCAMMING SCUM BAGS!!! CLOSE THEM DOWN AND HELP SAVE OTHERS FROM HAVING MONEY STOLEN FROM THEM!!!

    Reply
  • Sarah June 24, 2013, 10:14 am

    these people have got me too! the Fraud team at my bank Lloyds TSB are currently dealing with them and the payments coming out say “Bidou Bids Inc CA” – this was a survey attached to a providers website (which I use all the time) which said you have won a FREE Ipod, pay £2 for postage and that was it but it never went thorugh something happended and I never pushed the button so couldnt be bothered but then these payments came out my account and now it appears to be monthly – im disgusted with them!!! and have sent them an e-mail info@bidou.ca – my bank is refunding me for the one today and any future ones next I may have to cancel my account.

    Close them down the stealing bastards!

    Reply
  • Sarah Allen August 5, 2013, 8:24 am

    THEIVES!!!!!!
    What they did to me was scandalous, they trick people, a little questionnaire popped up when I was on Standard Life’s website so I answered 3-4 questions it then said you have won an ipod shuffle for doing it but I had to pay £2 postage, what they actually did was sign me into a contract taking about £40 per month which was absolutely disgusting so I’ve cancelled my cards.but they have taken about £200 out of my account for nothing!!! took me a while to find their contact details.

    they cancelled it on 25th and took more money out on 27th june, took money 5 lots of money out of my account.

    It also looks like someone was using the account to do bogus bidding when I’d never even gone on it.

    THEIVES!!!!!!! I just want my money back and to add to it they never sent the ipod either, these people should be put behind bars!!!!

    Reply
  • Lindsay Cross September 7, 2013, 6:13 am

    looks like legalised robbery. I am being ripped off to the tune of £35 a month just for doing the same as Sarah above. how this can be allowed to be legal is beyond me. it is as bad as money lending at 4000% as advertised on TV.
    Bidou Bids should be shut down immediately. unfortunately they do not have an office here in Livingston, Edinburgh or Glasgow, or I would be paying them a real visit.
    why does our Government allow the people of the UK to be ripped off like this every mo9ntrh?
    they never told me they were signing me up to the Gold membership
    stop this legalised rip off NOW. maybe you can tell I am really pissed off with this.

    Reply
    • Shannon February 18, 2014, 2:04 am

      It’s not Bidou, it’s Nio Inc. They do have a telephone number that is for the UK but their home is elsewhere

      Reply
  • Bruce October 1, 2013, 11:20 pm

    I just wish I had seen these complaints, before I signed up and won a bid on 21 May 2012. Today is
    2 October 2013 and I have yet to receive my purchase.
    After winning the bid an amount of almost R 500.00 was deducted from my account and I was informed that it will be a monthly deduction. I immediately cancelled my membership.
    On numerous occasions, I have been writing to info@bidou, but was constantly bombarded with crap. Eventually I was told that the I bid for, was no longer available. On 18 September they apologized and offered me another item, to be delivered in less than 5 days. It is now another 14 days later and I am still waiting. How can these crooks be shut down, to avoid more people falling pray of their fraudulant activities?

    Reply
  • Lina charif October 5, 2013, 1:23 am

    I dont too be with your webbside anymore so please call mee if you can on 0736321793

    Reply
  • Al Brideau October 24, 2013, 7:37 pm

    This company charged my credit card for a $49.99 charge that I did not authorize. I participated in a survey that was legit and was awarded a “free” gift from http://www.bidou.ca I was presented with 3 items that I could have and only pay shipping for the item I chose. I chose a 2 GB Ipod Shuffle and authorized a charge of $3.00 to my credit card. Checked my card shortly afterwards and saw they charged me a $49.99 Gold Membership fee that I did not authorize. They would not refund my money. This company is hosted in the Netherlands like most scam internet sites. They are crooks, stay far away from them as they will rip you off.

    Reply
  • bill October 26, 2013, 2:12 am

    Complete rip off, scandalous. I had a pop us screen saying answer this questionnaire and win a free ipod shuffle. Like a dummy, I answered it. The screen then went to a completely different pop up window saying I only had to pay $3 for shipping and to enter my payment credentials in that box. Next thing I know, I’m charged $3 plus an additional $49 for gold membership. I never, ever ever hit accept terms and agreement (didn’t even see such a box), yet that’s what some call centre in Britain told me, even though the woman on the phone said they were in the Phillipines. Tried e-mailing info@bidou.ca but they simply send lies back, telling me I accepted some terms I didn’t. Oh, and I never did receive ipod. I’ve called my banking company and the RCMP, just to report it. Complete rip off artists. Please stay away from these people. No phone number, don’t even know where they do business out of.

    Reply
  • Shari Brennan October 28, 2013, 3:57 pm

    I also did the online survey it popped up when I was checking my email, I really thought it was from my Shaw email provider, yes same as above people answer just 3 questions then pick from 3 gifts, I picked ipod, this was Oct. 10, 2013, just pay the mailing for the thankyou gift ,on Oct. 28,2013 I recieved my credit card statment with not only the $3.00 mailing payment but a $49.99 charge, I called my bank they looked into it said I was charged for a membership! I didn’t see anywhere where this was on the survey! Nothing but a money grab, then when try to call the phone # this company put on my credit card statment it’s an invalid # I cancelled my credit card and learned my lesson, also reported to BBB. I hope they can stop this kind of activity on our internet!

    Reply
  • Stan November 24, 2013, 12:56 pm

    I had the same experience as Al Brideau (24 oct 13) and Shari Brennan ((28 oct 13).
    The Feds are so concerned about many misdemeanors, many of those offenses are relatively, but seems to be impotent to rein in openly predatory thieves.
    Stan

    Reply
  • cam December 5, 2013, 7:48 am

    Exact same thing happened to me a week ago I went onto my scotiabank online banking site I use everyday and a survey of 4 questions popped up, once completing it I was offered one of 3 gifts only having to pay for shipping..3$ was charged to my visa but no ipod has ever been shipped to me..how do these sites get away with this shit and not get shutdown

    Reply
  • Billz December 11, 2013, 12:46 pm

    THEIVES!!!!!!
    They stole my personal info from Magic Jack account, charge my credit card, some one has to go after those thieves………
    Also CIRA has to close this website as it is a (.CA) site….

    Reply
    • Amanda Lee December 17, 2013, 10:03 am

      How did they do that?

      Reply
  • Kristy PM December 12, 2013, 1:14 am

    I too was offered a “prize” for doing a survey for a site I enjoy. Was told a 3 dollar charge for shipping woulf be taken off. They took an additional 49.99 from the credit card and want me to send them copies of ID and a filled out credit card form to receive my “prize”. When I declined to do so, they cancelled my item and are refusing to refund the fifty extra dollars.

    Reply
  • bruno December 19, 2013, 8:19 pm

    Here is email i sent to Wippy and Ziing customer email addresses, abuse(at)rackspace.com (their hosting provider), action.fraud(at)nfa.gsi.gov.uk (UK online Fraud Police Department), CFR2008A(at)consumerfraudreporting.org, among other agencies…..

    “Since i did not receive any reply from you regarding the email i sent you 48 hours ago (check below) and since after that i made a tons of checks on internet about the whole bunch of frauds you have comitted within the last few months, im going to start to go after you. Just query google about “wippy.com fraud” and you will get tons of bad reviews about you. Hundreds of those…

    The scam is pretty clear to me:

    First step -> Throught several promo-landing pages, Wippy.com gathers peoples attention by giving a way an item for a symbolic price, whereas people need to pay for it using their creditcard. Up till here, its correct and a normal practise to gather anew customer (tipical customers acquisition price)

    Second step-> You tell people that in order to get the item for the symbolic price they already paid for (and got charged), you need to have from them a creditcard release form.
    That creditcard release form, the way its redacted, and having CC owns signature on it, is nothing more than a “open door” for you to empty all the money. Dont tell me that its to prevent any chargebacks, because that is not what is written in the creditcard PDF release form.

    Third step -> You simulate to process creditcard billings throught a third party gateway billing “paypec.com”, which in fact is nothing more than a landing page owned by the same company that owns wippy.com. Not a phone contact, not even SSL and nothing PCI compliant.

    Fourth step -> Paypec.com (pseudo third party billing gateway) lists all the charges made by wippy.com in their backoffice.
    In order to open a dispute for a billing transaction, again you ask a creditcard release form whereas you once again try to collect the signature.
    This Fourth step is nothing more than a redundant mean to try to get the signature of the creditcard owner (in case you fail at second step).
    Having the creditcard# on your files + owner signature + bullshit redacted pseudo-terms and conditions, you try to bill recurring the customers that did not ask for your stuff.
    Moreover and as i said above, its an “open” door for you to pickup all the money from the creditcard owner.

    Having said this, i can garantee you that ill go till the last consequences in order to:

    -> Have your Credicard Billing Merchant Account canceled.
    -> Report your bank (the one who gave you your merchant account) to VISA and Mastercard networks.
    -> Chargeback with my bank any single transaction you made on my creditcard.
    -> Report you to any/all fraud alert tools/boards/bureaus.
    -> Hire people to know whos behind the company/soleproprietor of this huge online fraud, even if its shielded by any lawyers/pseudo directors on any Offshore paradise.

    Consider me a very informed/persistant”Tech and Online business guy” that will not rest until these things are solved.
    I dont tolerate these type of behaviours on Internet. These are the type of practises that make peoples affraid about online commerce. You should be ashamed.

    See you soon,
    Bruno
    +XXXXXXXXXXXXX (dont try to clone my Phonenumber SIM)

    Em 18-12-2013 04:19, Bruno Costa escreveu:
    > Hi
    >
    > -> I dont agree with these terms and conditions, to send you a doc whereas i aknowledge getting charged for ANY, ALL,Anything i you debit on my creditcard.
    >
    > -> Also i dont agree incurring in a 39,99€ Recurring charge per month.
    >
    > Posed the above statements, i ask you to:
    >
    > -> Do not send me any item ive won – > the promotional 40 € VISA card, as stated below (read email)
    > -> Revoke the charge (FULL REFUND) of 4,99€ on my credit card
    > -> Delete all my data, including any creditcards, names, etc from your DB and backups.
    >
    > In case i dont have a full confirmation from you within the next 24hours, ill CHARGEBACK this transaction with my BANK and ill contact VISA/Mastercard to check your merchant accounts with your bank or any third party billing processor, for further investigation.
    >
    > Thank you
    > Bruno
    > +XXXXXXXXXXXXX
    >
    >

    Reply
    • Shannon February 18, 2014, 2:10 am

      Good for you I hope everyone reads your comment

      Reply
  • jaspal January 29, 2014, 2:10 pm

    THIEVES, LOOTER

    Reply
  • Steve April 4, 2014, 9:32 am

    How do we stop these assholes in Canada.

    Reply
  • Tshepo April 7, 2014, 6:32 pm

    I’ve registered my account on a webside called bidoubids nd entered an auction. I was the last to bid and I won an item but when I try 2 claim it I can’t because they tell me that my email address is invalid while my address is valid so I don’t know what to do.

    Reply
    • Amanda Lee April 9, 2014, 10:12 am

      Tsheop, they told you that as a reason to not let you claim wins? That’s odd!

      Reply
  • Marvellous April 23, 2014, 6:04 am

    I just did the same.. A window popped up for paid surveys and this bidou one came up and i registered. I tried bidding, chose a tesco 40€ VOUCHER for 3€ and with free shipping. I just decided to do a bit of research before filling in my details and im so glad i did come across this.. I filled in my name and address but didn’t put any bank details.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.