Overview
At Alt, we're committed to maintaining a transparent, fair, and trustworthy marketplace for collectors. Our Auction Integrity Policy establishes clear standards for all participants and protects the platform from manipulative bidding behavior that undermines market fairness.
This policy applies to all auction participants — both buyers and sellers — and outlines what constitutes a violation, how we monitor for violations, and what consequences follow if violations occur.
What Is Coordinated Bidding?
Coordinated bidding is any bidding activity intended to artificially inflate auction prices through collaboration with other accounts. It is strictly prohibited on Alt.
Coordinated bidding includes, but is not limited to:
Explicit coordination: Intentional bidding collaboration where multiple accounts deliberately work together to drive up prices
Implied coordination: Bidding patterns that suggest coordinated activity, even without documented communication
Third-party involvement: Using accounts belonging to family members, friends, roommates, employees, business partners, or other connected parties to place bids
Network manipulation: Complex coordination schemes involving indirect connections (Account A bids on B's listings, B bids on C's listings, C bids on A's listings, etc.)
Key Determination
Intent to artificially inflate prices is the violation. Payment does not change whether a violation has occurred. Whether a bid is withdrawn or payment is made, coordinated bidding violates this policy.
Examples of Coordinated Bidding Violations
Prohibited:
A seller asks a friend to bid on their listings to drive up the final price
Multiple accounts linked through various internal identifiers place concentrated bids on one seller's auctions
An account shows unusually high win-rates and bidding concentration against a specific seller's inventory
A buyer and seller coordinate timing of bids to manipulate auction outcomes
Allowed:
Multiple independent bidders competing fairly on the same cards
Legitimate collectors placing genuine, autonomous bids
Family members or business partners bidding independently without coordination
Sellers receiving competitive, organic bidding on their inventory
How We Detect Coordinated Bidding
Alt uses continuous monitoring infrastructure to identify suspicious account patterns. Our analysis focuses on behavioral patterns, not isolated transactions. Violations are confirmed only when patterns consistently exceed normal bidding behavior thresholds.
Enforcement Ladder
Alt uses a tiered enforcement approach designed to educate, deter, and protect the platform while giving good-faith participants a structured path back to good standing.
Tier 1 — Formal Warning
When it applies:
First confirmed violation of the coordinated bidding policy, above a defined confidence threshold.
What happens:
You receive a formal written notice citing this Auction Integrity Policy
A policy warning is recorded on your account
Your account is placed under enhanced monitoring
This is a one-time warning. A second violation results in immediate suspension (see Tier 2 below), with no exceptions
What does NOT happen:
Your account is not suspended
Your active listings are not removed
The warning is not made public
Your next steps:
Review this policy in full
Audit your bidding activity to ensure compliance
Ensure all future bids are placed independently and with genuine intent to purchase
Tier 2 — Temporary Suspension
When it applies:
A second confirmed violation of the coordinated bidding policy.
What happens:
You receive a formal notice stating the reason for suspension
Your account is suspended for 7 days
During suspension:
You cannot place new bids, buy, sell, or withdraw from your account
Your active consignments and fixed-price listings continue to run normally
Existing bids remain on live auction items
Active loans and vault holdings are not affected
The notice emphasizes that a third violation will result in permanent removal from Alt
What does NOT happen:
Your account is not permanently banned
Your active auction listings are not removed
Your vault holdings are not liquidated
Tier 3 — Permanent Removal
When it applies:
A third violation of the coordinated bidding policy, OR
Continued violation after a Tier 2 suspension, OR
Severity of first or second violation warrants immediate escalation (e.g., high-value manipulation, repeated attempts to circumvent detection), OR
New account linkage discovered during the monitoring period
What happens:
You receive a formal notice of permanent removal
Your account is permanently banned from Alt
During permanent ban:
You cannot place bids, buy, sell, or withdraw
All fixed-price listings are removed
Auction listings continue to run to completion to recover any outstanding cash advances
Vault holdings are preserved, but you cannot access them while banned
Alt maintains permanent records of your account's unique identifiers to prevent re-registration
Appeal process:
Permanent removal decisions are final. Appeals are generally not available except in extraordinary circumstances involving documented evidence of material error.
Frequently Asked Questions
I bid on a card with my spouse. Does that violate the policy?
A: Not necessarily. Sharing a device or location with family members is normal. What matters is intent. If you and your spouse are both placing independent, genuine bids without coordination to manipulate prices, that's allowed. If one of you is bidding on behalf of the other, or you're coordinating bids to artificially inflate a price, that violates the policy.
Can I appeal a warning or suspension?
A: For Tier 1 warnings: Yes, you may appeal within 7 days of receiving the notice by contacting support@alt.xyz with details. We review appeals on a case-by-case basis.
For Tier 2 suspensions: Appeals are available on a limited basis during your suspension period. Contact support@alt.xyz to request review.
For Tier 3 (permanent removal): Appeals are generally not available.
What happens if a Tier 1 warning is issued in error?
A: If you believe you've received a warning by mistake, reply to the notice within 7 days. Our Trust & Safety team will review your account activity and case details. If we determine an error occurred, the warning will be removed and your account will return to normal monitoring status.
Does this policy apply to sellers as well as buyers?
A: Yes. Both buyers and sellers are prohibited from coordinated bidding. A seller who artificially inflates their own auctions through coordinated bids violates this policy, as does a buyer who coordinates with others to manipulate prices. Both types of violations are subject to enforcement.
What should I do if I suspect another user of coordinated bidding?
A: Report the suspected activity to support@alt.xyz with as much detail as possible, including:
The account names involved
Links to specific auctions or bids
Timeline of suspicious activity
Any patterns you've observed
Our Trust & Safety team reviews all reports and investigates suspected violations.
Our Commitment
By maintaining this Auction Integrity Policy and enforcing it consistently, Alt is:
Protecting fair competition for all collectors
Building trust in our marketplace through transparent standards
Creating a level playing field where prices reflect genuine collector demand, not manipulation
Preserving asset values by ensuring auction results are authentic
We recognize that coordinated bidding has been normalized in parts of the collectibles industry. Alt is changing that standard. We reserve the right to remove bad actors who continue to violate our standards.
Legal Considerations
Coordinated bidding and shill bidding may constitute federal fraud and/or bid-rigging under applicable state and federal law (including the New York Donnelly Act and the Sherman Act). While Alt's enforcement is a platform matter, confirmed violations may be referred to law enforcement or relevant regulators.
By using Alt, you agree to comply with this policy and all applicable laws governing auction conduct and marketplace integrity.
Contact & Support
Questions about this policy?
Email: support@alt.xyz
Text: (833) 483-5949
In-app: Use the messenger located in the bottom left corner of your browser
Our Collector Support team is here to clarify policy standards and help you understand what constitutes compliant bidding behavior.