i've bought a cornsnake online. i didn't have any problems. it's obviously not a dog though. how much is he charging for the dog+shipping? it might be close to cheaper if not cheaper to look locally. what is the country of origin for the dog aka where is your friend sending the money to? at least paypal covers your buddy up to $2000 if he gets ripped off.

like stinky said, do some research. make sure they have a warranty for health and genetics.

-shake