I think we are all very trusting of what might appear to be a fellow modeler. I am. I read the first post on this topic a few days ago and got quite nervous as I had just sent money to a guy in another state for an engine. We have since exchanged many E-mails and my engine was shipped Monday and I was given a tracking numnber by the seller. I'm not nervous but have to admit that I was really hanging it all out so to speak. What a great scam this could be. Earn a persons trust and establish a need for an item. Offer to sell the item with none on hand and wait for payment. Get the paymnet and change your E-mail address and don't answer the phone or let the calls roll to your answering machine. Every time the economy tanks it seems that wierd schemes pop up. One thing I did was go to the web and find a site that is called something like "white pages". Plug in the guys name and address. If the person's name and address pops up you MIGHT be OK. I think we all better be a-bit cautious during this economic downturn.

As an ex banker I know that there used to be something called a "bank draft" where upon you present your bank with the sellers cash and they notify a correspondant bank in the sellers area, or the sellers bank directly. The sellers bank notifys the seller that they are holding your money on condition of shipping your purchase. That way the legit seller is confident that you aren't a flake, ships your item, you receive it, notify your bank to release the funds and everybody is happy. The cost of the draft is worth the additional security.

Bill