I don't know about "requiring" escrow, since AudioGon, like E-bay is "only a venue." A good start,however, would be a valid credit card (that is cross-referenced with the billing address and telephone number of the holder) in order to register, buy and sell.
Secondly, I agree with Mike. I personally only buy with a credit card through PayPal or COD. I know that these payment methods are not full proof, but there is at least some form of protection from scam sellers. COD with a bank money order actually works very well. If the seller sends you a box of bricks, you can open it in front of the courier and then refuse it. If the product looks good, you still have a few days to make sure it works and the condition is as advertised, because you can put a stop payment on a bank money order as a last resort.(Don't try to scam someone with this method if everything is as described, because you will go to jail!)
Most important, try to get as much info about the seller as possible....address, home and work #'s etc...Call the number to make sure that person really lives or works there. I use the reverse phone directory or check out the address with his/her countys' property records through the recorders office online. Of course, not all counties have this on-line info available nor does everyone own property, but every bit of information helps to confirm the seller is legit.
Finally, as we all know, if the deal is too good to be true, it's not.
Secondly, I agree with Mike. I personally only buy with a credit card through PayPal or COD. I know that these payment methods are not full proof, but there is at least some form of protection from scam sellers. COD with a bank money order actually works very well. If the seller sends you a box of bricks, you can open it in front of the courier and then refuse it. If the product looks good, you still have a few days to make sure it works and the condition is as advertised, because you can put a stop payment on a bank money order as a last resort.(Don't try to scam someone with this method if everything is as described, because you will go to jail!)
Most important, try to get as much info about the seller as possible....address, home and work #'s etc...Call the number to make sure that person really lives or works there. I use the reverse phone directory or check out the address with his/her countys' property records through the recorders office online. Of course, not all counties have this on-line info available nor does everyone own property, but every bit of information helps to confirm the seller is legit.
Finally, as we all know, if the deal is too good to be true, it's not.