A mock auction is a scam usually operated in a street market, disposal sale or similar environment, where cheap and low quality goods are sold at high prices by a team of confidence tricksters.
[1] In Denver, confidence man Soapy Smith and his Soap Gang auctioned off shiny brass watches as being made of gold.
[3][4][5][6] Typically, during the sale, members of the gang operating the scam will pose as customers; they will be given boxes of high-value goods for a very low price, and will pretend to be very pleased with their bargain purchases.
The fake auctioneer, who is usually the gang's leader, will often be a skilled, practiced orator, who will typically be able to win the confidence of a substantial proportion of his potential victims.
Commonly employed techniques include selling what appear to be boxed, high-quality branded goods, but which are actually very inferior, cheap fakes; or are rejects which have serious faults.