Pure stupidity!

I have a 1st class ticket leaving today and got a message that they are looking for volunteers to take a later flight and will pay compensation. It tells me to “bid” on the the amount I’d accept to give up my seat on this flight and take a later flight instead. So I thought I’d volunteer to take a flight an hour later and I’d do it for free-United wouldn’t have to pay me anything-but instead it wants to charge ME $2,047!!! I called customer service and after being on hold 37 minutes a representative told me there were no seats available on any other flight that day. I told her there was becaus