Most auction sites offer dispute resolution for buyers and sellers and limit what methods of payment are available. For example, most auction sites don’t allow wire transfers but allow payment by debit card, credit card, or PayPal. The Fair Credit Billing Act helps protect buyers when using their credit cards.  Use the auction site’s in-house communication system if available. This way, should a dispute arise, the site can see the exchange between buyer and seller. Never take communication or payment offline to avoid fees because that limits your protection.