Williams and Williams

Online bidding on property was actively bidding and either W&W or Auction Netowrk lost connections (they admitted this on call made to them as well as their online video), the auctioneer/staff on site at live auction were made aware of this, instead of pausing auction, which was in best interest of seller, bidders, and the auction company until everyone was back on line, they finalize bid on property and property went for less than it would have, this penalized online bidders and sellers. The site was only down a short time, and they were nearing the end of all properties being auction so pausing the auction was reasonable as well as the fair and proper thing to be done.

We participated in an auction of a high-profile property in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. At $675,000, we were the high bidder for the property.

It was a reserve auction, and the seller had seven business days to accept our offer.

In the days following the auction, Williams representatives gave our real estate agent every reason to believe that our contract would be accepted. The only hold up, we were told, was for them to negotiate a discounted payoff and lien release from the Small Business Administration. We were told the release had been approved in principle, but that a new administrator at the Small Business Administration was somewhat of a stickler for protocol and that we were just waiting for his or her signature. They lied.

Instead, by some behind the scenes process that has not been shared with us, the seller signed a contract with the very party that we outbid at the auction.

Although we were prepared to pay, literally, more than twice the amount of what we bid at the auction, we were never given that opportunity.

Instead of being required to beat what we were willing to bid, this other buyer was permitted to engage in backdoor negotiations, from which we were excluded. So, rather than outbidding us at the auction, Williams allowed him to do so behind our backs.

When asked how and why this happened, their only response was that they ran it by legal, meaning some lawyer advised them that they could get away with it.

I won the high bid on a commercial property in Southern IL the last couple of day of April 2015. After receiving a congratulatory eMail with a link for a Contract Questionnaire I filled it out (after requesting a few corrections be made).

Then I get an email from a W&W rep saying they had to investigate the auction to make sure all technology was function properly as another "bidder" (who was probably the seller) called in to complain that something was wrong with the auction process and therefore the winning bid shouldn't stand. After a while W&W did confirm the auction process was sound and that the auction, which was specifically advertised as an absolute or no reserve auction, would stand. Then the seller just went silent and got a lawyer. So have I.

Anyone want to be involved in a class action lawsuit against W&W? If so, e-mail me @ roguebard1@***.com.

My husband signed up on the site to see what properties were available. This company charged us $386 (when they say they don't charge until a bid is won) just to look at the site.

This is an absolute scam and if people want to be scammed, go to this site. They won't return e-mails nor will they even answer their phones.

Seems to me that IF this company really were legitimate, they would have someone answering phones and would be returning calls and e-mails.

What a heck of a way to run a business. Very, very, VERY disappointed in them.