First, the number of dealings was very large, so the 4 bad deals (2 people shorted me on returns of bad stuff, for "their trouble") are a small percentage.
Second, most people are honest in their financial dealings, but not their
equipment evaluations (they will optimistically rate gear, but chearfully and promptly refund your money - I never get over this! I think people 80% of the
time draw the shades, turn the lights out, take their glasses off, close their
eyes, and say [quite honestly...], "I don't see a mark on it!"). Occasionally,
gear will be under rated - the person who sees no marks on a perfectly clean
piece of gear, but feels that since it was used, there must be slight marks
somewhere.... Third, there is no way to avoid the scam - the scammers seem the most real, and the deals, while good, are not suspiciously good (and the
hitches in the deal, the bumps, etc. are unlike what one would expect from
a smooth operator). Fourth, though I hate to say it, is the conclusion that
if the person sounds old, his memory of the pristine and fully functional
gear often supercedes reality. Fifth, there is advantage in a first-class
subscription to SB for catching the wonder deals (far fewer now than in the past, alas), but rarely will anyone accept less than asked early-on. I have dropped the expensive first class postage, and have lost little, though
in the early days, 1st class was essential. Sixth, it hardly matters how the
money is handled, though the seller will almost always request MO or CC
first, but may accept a cash-only COD (one useful thing I have used a couple
of times with recalcatrant refunders [people always eagerly promise MBG,
but when it comes to the crunch, a few will suddenly feel "wronged"...] is to
pay for a COD with a bank MO. If the buyer has not cashed it, some banks
will cancel the MO and refund your money [minus maybe $10]). Seventh, some dealers (include the regulars and repeats in the classified as dealers)
are very honest (though slightly optimistic) in their equipment ratings, but be most suspicious of the ones that have nothing other than "Mint" (which can
mean that the lens did roll down the street when dropped, but the truck didn't actually run OVER it). Eighth, most people operate by the rules, a few stretch them a bit, and a tiny minority are out to get you - pretty good averages!