Is this a New Game being played now?

I don’t find that a problem. If someone is looking for a certain item they go on HIFI Shark and locate it on Audiogon. They then register on Audiogon and make an offer. The best sales that I have made were from new members. What difference does it make if the buyer pays and you receive payment?

One shouldn't make blanket statements about any country being home of scammers, they exist everywhere. I recently purchased relatively expensive item from Viet Nam, no scam.

Axpert is correct, everyone was newbie without feedback at some point. I've made tons of audio deals worldwide over many years, only one attempt to deceive, and that from ebayer from my own home state!  I've always done my due diligence, minimizes ripoffs.

The first purchase I made was with a guy that preferred PayPal for payment.  He waited until the payment cleared and then I went to pick it up.  I haven’t sold anything yet, but that sounds like a safe process.  That, or a certified check or money order.  

I agree to proceed with caution with any online transaction. That said, we all had to start somewhere.

About 15 years ago I had a pair of large floor standing loudspeakers for sale here on Agon. A buyer reached out to me from the other side of the country with interest. He was a new member with zero transactions or feedback. I was skeptical of course, but insisted that we speak on the phone. He seemed genuine and was mindful of his lack of history on Audiogon. After a long conversation I took a chance on him and everything turned out fine.

So remember, you (all of us) had that "first" Audiogon transaction and someone had to trust you as well.

Oz