I've never done this, so this may not be practical, but I had this thought: sometimes a FTF transaction just isn't possible, especially if the buyer and seller are far apart. Ask the seller to take the gun to a FFL for inspection, and ask the FFL to give a report to you, or to your FFL. If the seller isn't willing to do that, then I would pass.

I've noticed that a lot of selling sites now require that any pictures of items posted for sale must be taken with a handwritten note of the seller's name and date. That should help with the copying of pictures off the internet, but even then, with Photoshop skills, a determined crook could probably get around that. I'd still go with the FFL suggestion I made above if I couldn't do a FTF inspection, or I'd pass. I'm too old, cranky, and poor to risk my dollars on a scammer.

One of the oddest ebay ads I ran across was while I was perusing specific drum sets. Lo and behold I ran across of picture of my kit, taken in my basement, that I had posted on one of the drum forums, that someone had used to represent their kit.

No harm done but it was just weird to see such a thing. I guess I take a pretty good picture.

Armslist=FTF only...in public...at my chosen location

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Just pretend this is witty.

Some things are best done face to face.

Yupper! The more I see of people, the better I like dogs.