This is Jon, owner of RcDirect & RcDirectOnline.com
I am an active member of a few forums and have noticed there are good people being taken advantage of when doing personal transactions like buying, selling, and trading online. I've completed thousands of transactions on Ebay, and more than 100 on various forums and have yet to be scammed because I follow a few easy guidelines. I have used my experience to compile a list of ways to help keep yourself, your property, and your hard earned money safe. I welcome any ideas from other people and will add them to this list as necessary.

These are not in any particular order of importance.

For Buyers:

• ALWAYS get multiple pictures of any item you are purchasing. Don't be shy asking for better pictures of something. If the seller is not willing to provide you with more detailed pictures it may be for a reason.
• ALWAYS pay with Paypal and NEVER EVER SEND PAYMENT AS A GIFT!  The new trend online is to ask for payment as a gift because it does not incur the 3% fees Paypal charges. For one, this is illegal but more importantly it REMOVES ALL BUYER PROTECTION. If you send payment in this fashion you could risk an account suspension and the seller can keep your money, not send out your items, and there is nothing you can do about it.
• When paying through Paypal have a debit/credit card linked to your account as well. Some people refuse to use Paypal and are quick to spread horror stories about how they were scammed. Linking your credit/debit card gives you an added layer or protection and if Paypal refuses to help you with an unauthorized charge or if you are being scammed, your credit card company will gladly reverse the charges for you until it's sorted out.
• Look at the sellers post count and feedback score. Obviously someone with 5,000  posts and 100 trader ratings is every bit as capable of scamming someone but it's a lot less likely they would want to ruin a reputation they've obviously worked hard to build. On the other side of that, everyone starts somewhere so just because someone is new and has low posts and no feedback it doesn't mean they can't be trusted. Ask for a phone number and get a feel for the person before sending money if you need reassurance.
• DO NOT LET YOUR GREED CLOUD YOUR BETTER JUDGEMENT. IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS! One thing I've learned in this hobby is that there is always a good deal to be had. I started in the retail side by searching for good deals on used items and turning them for a profit. I would always be upset when I missed out on a great deal but another always came along so don't think a certain deal is a must have!
• Ensure your address and bank account are confirmed on Paypal. It makes things much easier if there is a problem.

For Sellers:

• When posting a for sale thread, have a clear title. Personally I never read posts that start, "Great Deal Here, Come Look!" because more often than not, it isn't a great deal and it's something that I couldn't use anyway. If you are selling a brushless buggy, put that in the title to grab more attention. With a title like "Great Deal Inside!" you may get more hits but there will be a far less chance one of them actually is interested in buying it and views don't put money in your pocket.
• Take GOOD pictures and remove anything that isn't included in the sale before taking the picture. Don't snap a picture of your buggy with $500 worth of electronics and then post, "electronics not included." I don't care if the deal for the roller is amazing, I won't buy it. It removes a lot of confidence a buyer may have. Buyers often think that if you are too lazy to remove anything not included before taking the picture, you probably won't be too inclined to help if there is an issue with the car, shipping, etc. Plus it helps put the buyer at ease that you won't accept payment and go bashing it one last time before shipping it out and lets them know exactly what they're receiving.
• Make sure the buyers shipping address is confirmed. This protects you, the seller, from an unauthorized payment or protection against items not received. KEEP IN MIND, ITEMS OVER $250 MUST HAVE SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION TO QUALIFY FOR PROTECTION. Anything less just needs proof that it was delivered. Spending the $.80 cents on delivery confirmation could prove to be the best investment you ever made if there is an issue. DO NOT SHIP TO ANY OTHER ADDRESS OTHER THAN WHAT'S LISTED ON THE PAYPAL TRANSACTION.
• Package your items well. I bought a Slash 4x4 roller with a bunch of parts, an extra GTB, and 2 motors and everything was thrown in the box with not a single piece of padding anywhere. Not really a surpise when the motor didn't work. Padding is cheap and very worth it.
• Clean your items. Don't take a picture of something that looks like it spent a week in a mud bath and say, "I'll clean it before it ships." It puts a bad idea in any buyers head and makes them wonder what you did to it before trying to pawn it off on someone else. I've seen near new vehicles get 1/3 of the original cost because the body was beat up and/or dirty and I've seen 2 year old vehicles recover 3/4 of the cost because they were spotless.
• Answer emails promptly and be very transparent. If you want them to send you cash, give them a reason to trust you. Always offer a phone number and a suitable time to call if they have questions.
• NEVER AGREE TO A CASH ON DELIVERY TRANSACTION!!! This means the buyer requests that you ship it to them and once received they will pay you for it. While there are some delivery services that will do this, it's not in your best interest.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AT INFO@RCDIRECTONLINE.COM IF YOU HAVE MORE TIPS OR SUGGESTION ON HOW TO KEEP EACH OTHER PROTECTED FROM THE FEW SCAMMERS OUT THERE! THANKS FOR READING!