Is there anything I can do? I still have all PMs and the PGP signed agreement.
Did you ever check the email address the account was using? That would clear things up if it was indeed
[email protected] as the seller wouldn't be able to reset password by email.
I never accessed the account. I prefer to only hold the funds, ActSeller did expect me to hold the account and hold the funds at the same time though. We did it my way this time and switched to ActSellers system for other trades. The point of me holding the account is to verify that it is like described. Its essentially seller protection to make sure the buyer has no reason to back off because of the name. Thus even in those cases where I accessed the account I did not check the mail, nor do I keep a record of it.
I do advise to change the password, mail address as well as the security question (or remove it). Its part of the default text for account trades. I always assumed the buyers would do these steps, as they are quite important to actually secure the account.
When you handle account trades like this, it will be very difficult to mediate a dispute.
You are risking that someone along the following happens:
-Buyer sends BTC into the escrow address
-Seller changes password to an account that matches the description of what is being sold
-Seller provides a username and what he claims to be a password to the account being sold to the buyer directly (and if applicable a signed message)
-Password on the account being sold is changed a second time (per the seclog)
-Buyer claims that the password he was provided does not work
You have no real way of knowing which party is telling the truth in this case
A better (at least IMO) escrow procedure for handling forum accounts would be as follows:
-Both parties agree to the terms of the trade
-Buyer sends BTC to escrow address
-Seller provides escrow the username and password (and signed message if applicable) of the account being sold
-Escrow changes the password, the email and removes the security question
-Escrow forwards the buyer the username and the changed password
-Escrow releases BTC to seller
It is usually best to have the terms of the trade laid out specifically and clearly, and to rely on the word of each party as little as possible so in the event of a dispute, it would be difficult to get questioned about possibly releasing BTC to the wrong party.