They are using escrow. It's just that he's tricking people in a different way.

https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/fraud:got-scammed-5k-check-deposi

https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/general-discussion:marchenry-hernandez-just-tr

https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/general-discussion:attempted-scam

^^ This guy's still scamming. All over LBC Forum threads. He has not yet quit nor been arrested.