Fraud protection when buying on FChat

I've never brought anything from a private party on FChat. I'm thinking about buying something (not a car) from a person in another county. I'm in the US. What is the best way to protect myself from fraud/scams? Is there someway to insure I get what I want before the other guy gets my money and disappears; after sending me nothing, or junk unlike what he described/photographed?

Any thoughts or lessons learned by the non-rookies, or I guess rookies (easy prey?) also.

Thanks

 

Search the user's posting history. Look for other items sold, communications from buyers after transactions, etc. Go back as far as you like. Ask if he has an eBay username, and search feedback there. Ask for references. If something feels wrong in all of that, just walk away.

 

Under no circumstances use Western Union or a wire transfer. Your best protection is to use a credit card through PayPal. If the transaction goes wrong, appeal through PayPal first. If that fails, contest the charge through your credit card. If that fails then you are SOL.

As far as the seller, search their name here. I have read numerous threads of people who sell here and the buyers never see the product or their money back. Such as .......

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ferrari-discussion-not-model-specific/545702-warning-scammers-among-us.html

 

I got scammed by Fchat member. I just trusted site members. No more. This site is no different than anywhere else.

 

Great advice, thanks everyone.