I do a few things before I buy off auction sites. First I make sure that I have a legitimate address and phone number before I buy. I also call the guy and make sure that it isn't some kid selling some junk. I also look for seller ratings. If it says "new seller", then I don't bother. The last thing I do is make sure that I can drive to his place in 24 hours or less. If something goes wrong with the sale, I will probably just show up on his doorstep to ask what the he-- is going on!! [8D]