Weirfan
How is it paranoia? Simple things aren't happening on this one that are givens in every deal done here. When you are new, this is not the kind of thing a leery forum wants to see. I think the reactions are perfectly normal. How you aren't concerned is foreign to me. Of course, we all know EVERY deal carries risk, even ones with long time members with excellent track records. It only increases when you're doing a deal with someone nobody here has ever done one with.
The issue is being violated as much as it is "only" 75 bucks. Nobody likes being violated.
I feel for anyone making a deal for the 1st time here. You really have to put your best foot forward or there'll be questions. I learned that here and at WRX. The first deal I did at WRX was a nightmare. Guy threw all kind of unfounded accusations about pics and condition. Forum ended up backing me as a new guy never doing a deal. There are good and bad people everywhere. Until you know someone is good, it's healthy and normal to be concerned they aren't.
You hope every deal here works out as intended and most of them do but being new is a definite reason for caution. I knew it, we all did when we did our first one, and this one has some hitches in the giddy up that are concerning.