DO NOT GIVE A DEPOSIT

Ask to see a lenders history, ask for supporting evidence that they are not gonna scam
Video call to confirm the person is who they claim to be.
Any lender should be able to share a pic of their ID, with sensitive data covered. When they make a PayPal G&S payment you get their name and address, so they should have no problem sharing this, as they expect you to do the same.
Be smart, if you absolutely have to pay a deposit, ask for proof that they did not scam before
and use the USL (UniversalScammersList), to search account name