My suggestions with respect to buying/selling on a forum:

1) Check out the potential counterpart to the transaction's post count and registration date. And do a search so as to determine the nature of the persons posts. Are they simple one or two word replies that have been made in an effort to boost post count? Be leery of a seller who just registered and is offering up an item for sale.

2) Get the persons phone number

3) Inquire if they do business on Ebay. If so get their Ebay user I.D. and check out their feedback. Also compare the phone number given to you with the number they have listed with Ebay.

3a) If the seller is on Ebay have the seller do a buy it now listing at your agreed price and buy it that way using paypal. This will increase the price slightly but the buyer protection afforded by Ebay is worth it.

4) If you plan on doing a lot of on-line purchases with people whom you do not have a trusted relationship with I recommend opening an additional bank account at the bank that you do business. From this new account get a debit card. Use this new account/debit card as your designated method of payment for on-line and forum purchases. Never keep any more money in the account than that would be needed to complete a transaction. This prevents any attempt of fraud against your account.

5) Try to always use paypal and link your paypal to the new debit card

You have to do your home work and remember that the deal that sounds to good to be true usually is to good to be true.

Stu

I don't want to read a book in the field. Too many bugs and snakes and thingies.