Unfortunately, IP bans are a thing of the past. While still a useful tool in some situations, any determined, intentional scammer will know how to easily circumvent such a ban.

There will ALWAYS be bad guys mucking it up for everyone else. That is true of every human endeavor out there, not just herp trading. They're like flies or mosquitoes...we can't ever get rid of them completely, but we can smush 'em one at a time every chance we get.

The key is buyer (and seller!) BEWARE. Be on the lookout for red flags. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

And in your case specifically, maybe be aware of the red flags you might unintentionally send up. Your initial letter to the breeder started out just like a scam, with the "Greetings Sir" and over-the-top super-polite compliments. I know you didn't mean it that way, but my own "radar" pinged as soon as I started reading it, and I already knew the context.

I say that to say this: Careful communication is the key, for parties on both sides. You followed up with proper communication and everything got resolved. Unfortunately, not everyone is skilled at communicating, either verbally or in writing. Plenty of honest buyers and sellers out there just stink at expressing themselves in a productive manner. It's up to each and every one of us to BE AWARE of natural limitations and to BEWARE of the fact that there are always folks out there trying to take advantage.