I think we have something to learn from here.
- When buying from someone, and negotiating in PMs, post your intent to buy it to the thread, and let it sit for a few hours first.
- If someone isn't willing to use escrow, do not deal with them PERIOD, even if they link you to a heatware/WOT/ebay feedback and even if they prove it is theirs.
- Negotiate in the open if possible.
- If sending money to someone directly, as opposed to using escrow, make them pull up a letter with their name and address on it, and a timestamp and their pseudonym/nickname written somewhere.
All of the above would have prevented or seriously deterred him from scamming.
As it stands I am acquiring his IP address, and going to go from there, and possibly pay him a visit in person. (Yes, I'm "crazy" enough to spend 5x as much traveling there to dispense justice than what I lost.)
EDIT: This is his heatware page:
http://heatware.com/eval.php?show=to&id=59353&num_days=0
