how to know if a private seller is reliable
im in a server that has a bunch of breeders that sell their mantises. i asked if someone has one that im looking for and i got a dm. exact instar and sex im looking for. i went to check the server to see if this person has been talked abt before and has sold mantises and i see that they have. i find some reviews abt them and they arent very positive, tho they were from 2 years ago so its possible theyve improved their methods
im just wondering how i could check if this person is reliable? what questions can i ask to make sure i wont get scammed or end up with a dead mantis? im wary of if i can trust this person due to their reputation but the reviews are from a while ago so idk if theyre still true now. itll still be a week or so before i can actually buy a mantis (wanna make sure it wont get cooked alive in transit and i dont have all the supplies ready) so theres a chance a more reliable seller will contact me before then. but i still think itd be good to know generally how to verify that the person wont scam me even if they appear reliable