The more you know!

Last recommendation is kinda controversial. In some countries PayPal doesn't support all payment methods, and have only one payment option (paying with friends and family), like in Ukraine. Hundreds of ukrainian artists using this method, and already have many situations when customers cancel their commission because thinked it may be a scam. PP for me is a plan-b (cause it's not my main payment service, but you know some people don't trust any others systems) but I personally have cases when customers didn't want to deal with me after hearing that I have "Family and friends" payment option.
I guess the best recommendation is checking the profile bio, gallery and stuff like this, because if you see that the artist is real, the profile is real, and you see a lot of real commissions and real customers, then you may not worry about risks with the "friends and family" payment method.

Of course that can be an exception when you know the artist and their bio and adresses are on point and it comes from the same account where the auction was hold. I wouldnt recommend the friends and families in any other ways.

I get those art scammers that ask to draw my pfp and it's highly irritating when they ask "how I can pay"...

Yea I just reported one of these scam accounts. They tend to be super obvious wen you look at them, with near zero watchers and hundreds of watches, always some sort of prominent link for giving them money and a sob story to sell it. and of course the mass noting they do begging for money.

Thanks for the advice. ^^