The reason for why RMT got as popular as it is aren't the bots, it was the lack of punishment for getting caught for it.

Roughly 2 weeks suspension for getting caught and rarely even getting the gold you bought revoked? It was and still is just simply worth it to eat the punishment and take a vacation.If Blizzard had dished out permanent account bans for buying gold during late classic/early TBC, I have no doubt we would not be where we are today. The demand just would not be there.