WotLK Bots in frostmourne AH?

[Rathrenn]

Are people using bots to undercut in AH or am I crazy? No matter what leatherworking item I post it gets undercut some seconds later. As a test I even lowered the item price by 50% so it is worth less than the items materials and I still got undercut like crazy! I know this does not prove much but whispering these ppl also yields no response... This can't be normal and it is impossible to sell anything like this. Is there anything I can do?

[Thorbjorn]

You'd need to record him moving in the same path on 2 separate occasions to mailbox and back to AH once you undercut him. Keep in mind it needs to be the exact same walking pattern. That might be proof of botting. You might also open an in-game ticket and ask the GMs what kind of evidence you need to provide for them to consider it a bot. All of that implies that you're being undercut by the same dude and not more of them.

[Rathrenn]

Thanks for the answer. It is actually about 3 names I see over and over again doing the Perma undercutting, it's not just one. Also, that prove sounds tough. How should I judge if they walk exactly the same way and also can't a bot put some randomness in there, too? Sounds like an uphill battle but I will try what you said and ask a GM.

[Rathrenn]

Since this sounds really hard to detect how about other solutions like only being able to cancel an auction once per hour per item. Or things like that. I really would love to see this solved because it is impossible to sell any leatherworking items since days for no matter what price I put them in, because of this.

[Thorbjorn]

Thanks for the answer. It is actually about 3 names I see over and over again doing the Perma undercutting, it's not just one. Also, that prove sounds tough. How should I judge if they walk exactly the same way and also can't a bot put some randomness in there, too? Sounds like an uphill battle but I will try what you said and ask a GM.

If it's a bot it will have a scripted path from mailbox to AH with no randomness. As I said, you can open a ticket in-game and see what the GMs will find sufficient for proof.

[Rathrenn]

So well, I told a GM about the general issue and basically nothing happened. I finally got one botter to talk, tho. Here is a screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/Dril9OO.png

I mean he basically is admitting to it and even is rude in his sureness that even undercutting 24/7 won't get him banned.
Anyway to get this screenshot to a GM?

[Repost]

You'll have to prove they're actually botting since we don't have a rule against no lifing or undercutting. Just be sure to keep that proof off the forums since we don't allow reports here.

[Rathrenn]

But doing it 24/7 is not really nolife it is sheer impossible (without a bot) or do you believe his never sleep condition? :P
Anyway thanks for the info I will try talking to a GM instead of here.
It sill is kinda sad how obvious they make it and still nothing can be done about it just because there is no way to "100%" prove it :( It is kinda killing my fun in the AH as I can sell absolutely nothing no matter the price.

[Repost]

I used to PvP with someone who did have insomnia and would be online for 2-3 days at a time. But you haven't proved this person is online for even a full day at a time.

[Drunkuser]

Warmane is full of bots sadly, not only on Frostmourne. ICC is totally out of control.

Reporting 1 will take days of evidence collection, ticket and time waiting the GM response. After you will get that one banned, 10 new will take his place, since those are throwaway accounts.

We need a new policy against them, same against scripters in arena. Some In-game GMs with the sole purpose of checking with their own eyes AH, resource farming spots, individual players behaviours, randomly spectate arenas for scripters.

Reporting system and anti-cheat may work but are obsolete and don't take care of the full problem.

[Rathrenn]

Warmane is full of bots sadly, not only on Frostmourne. ICC is totally out of control.

Reporting 1 will take days of evidence collection, ticket and time waiting the GM response. After you will get that one banned, 10 new will take his place, since those are throwaway accounts.

We need a new policy against them, same against scripters in arena. Some In-game GMs with the sole purpose of checking with their own eyes AH, resource farming spots, individual players behaviours, randomly spectate arenas for scripters.

Reporting system and anti-cheat may work but are obsolete and don't take care of the full problem.

Finally, someone who understands, thank you for that :)

I used to PvP with someone who did have insomnia and would be online for 2-3 days at a time. But you haven't proved this person is online for even a full day at a time.

I see your point with me not proofing X person is 100% doing it but one thing is clear people ARE botting in the AH something needs to be done about it.. or it is really killing the fun for not botter. Can you at least agree with me on that?

I mean I have no clue about what is possible on the technical side but I am sure there are things that can be done. Like my suggestion of only be able to post the same item lets say 3 times in1h or whatever. This would never even affect not botters and make this AH botting not possible.

[Rathrenn]

Just the heads up that nothing happened and the exact same 3 ppl keep botting in the AH 24/7. All tries contacting a GM and providing info + asking what else is needed to prove the obvious botting lead to nothing but an automated message " we are looking into the player/s....". I even saw one of the botters try to sell 1k g for 1$ in the trade chat so they actually even make real life profit out of the botting what srsly is just sad... :(

[angrylol]

Or maybe they are not bots, instead players just playing AH.
I'm playing AH relatively frequent. Can not relate to this "omg bot king sits on top of AH" narrative.

What is actually happening is you have no notion about scale of things, that's why everyone is Bot to you. Lots of people have millions worth of reagents, BoE's, you name it stashed because they can't keep it in gold(squish). then they one day decide to get something for coins, for a new alt, etc, they sell some of their stuff and sell that gold on site. Don't underestimate what people are capable of just because you can't see anything like that in your wildest dreams.

Sure there are bots, people who frequently post inhuman amounts of herbs or ores seem to disappear pretty fast tough.

P.S.
Your "3 stacks per hour" thing - you can shove it, it's absurd. I'm not a bot and I have even up to 3000 active auctions. In Frostmourne - In 3 months you can do a lot in so huge market.

[Rathrenn]

Or maybe they are not bots, instead players just playing AH.
I'm playing AH relatively frequent. Can not relate to this "omg bot king sits on top of AH" narrative.

What is actually happening is you have no notion about scale of things, that's why everyone is Bot to you. Lots of people have millions worth of reagents, BoE's, you name it stashed because they can't keep it in gold(squish). then they one day decide to get something for coins, for a new alt, etc, they sell some of their stuff and sell that gold on site. Don't underestimate what people are capable of just because you can't see anything like that in your wildest dreams.

Sure there are bots, people who frequently post inhuman amounts of herbs or ores seem to disappear pretty fast tough.

P.S.
Your "3 stacks per hour" thing - you can shove it, it's absurd. I'm not a bot and I have even up to 3000 active auctions.

No offense and you have a valid point... but do you srsly think a real and always the same human undercuts you in minutes no matter what time of the day literally 24/7. Did you even read the screenshot I posted the dude even admitted to doing it 24h a day from my observing at least 6 days in a row without sleep because "he never sleeps because of a sleep condition" ? Giving the benefit of a doubt is good but at some point it ends...

[angrylol]

So you did 6 days 24/7 posting and he undercut you every time within minutes. You can do it, why can't he?

You know, demoralizing competition is a good strategy and it worked on you pretty great.

I mean, what he said is in no way admission of guilt, it's just a strategy to get you to walk away as far as I see. I too am pretty sick of these "yOu bE baN sooN" and it feels pretty great to wind them up telling them I have superpowers and they don't stand a chance, undercutting them instantly because they are just too easy to read and can't think straight anymore.

Getting bots banned is great, you collecting proof is commendable, but lets hold back with accusations until you have some real proof, because that doesn't do good to anyone.