Is it OK for sellers to bid on their own items in an effort to raise bids?

[johninto]

I have bid on essentially the same music player 4 separate times (each time sold by the same seller) only to lose each time to the same bidder.

What could someone want with 4 of the same used music players?

I am wondering if the seller doesn't like the potential winning price and is bidding in an effort to raise competing bids and then re-listing it if they are the eventual winner . 

Is this OK?

[leb17]

Hi...No its not allowed and here is some information on it and how to report it:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/seller-shill-bidding.html