So...whether PayPal will refund you or not is kind of tricksty.

If you pay for something and you do not receive anything...and the buyer doesn't produce a tracking number that says the package was delivered, then PayPal will usually refund you.

However, the problem comes when the scammer sends you any package at all. He could send you an empty box, and as long as he can show that he shipped a package to your PayPal address and it was delivered, then you probably won't get refunded.

That's how it seems to happen. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

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As for the guy selling the snake, since he apologized and you really want the snake, I'd do the pic with current newspaper thing. If he follows through, then you're probably okay.