The best way one can protect himself best from scams related to bitcoin, is to learn from experience which I have had my own share of where I needed to convert the little coins I have gotten to cash but ended up in the hads of a scammer who used delay tactics on me but I was still immature then. But now, I just don't deal with anybody anyhow. I have a list of trusted guys to help with that and even before transacting I do a lot of ground work confirming nothing has changed since our last transaction.