I feel bad for the guy, poor bastard
literally
but;
he broke all the rules (didn't do his due diligence)
of doing a smart purchase (didn't want to drive an 8hr round trip)
with someone, he didn't know or could easily vet...
Unless you '
know someone' & they have a prior trusted recommendation
or a
'true' legit business or a known Good track record of selling stuff online
& not a scammer... Some Joe Smoe Brandon
Even then you should go & look at it, have eyes on it
spending good $$$, you need to be sure
even if you
need to hire someone/professional
or find someone you know/trust in that area
to put hands-on & eyes-on it,
to actually know it's not a scam,
it's actually what you saw in said photos/descriptions
or it's not a total rustbucket etc.,
showing up on a trailer later
you'll be $$$ ahead in the long run
Never/Ever send any or wire/cash
to anyone
no matter how great of a deal it may seem to be
without doing your due diligence...
Even then, there's still some associated risks...
A lot lower % of risks
Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)
'a fool & his money are soon parted'