Depends on the seller and the circumstances and what the goal is.
From a reputable dealer I know personally, I would do it remotely. Brian Marcy at Scottsdale, for example, no problem. I know he is good for it. Otherwise, I would need a good look at the card in person.
As for determining whether a card is genuine, as Pete said, after decades of this many of us have developed expertise in our preferred collecting fields. I am probably better at authenticating an Exhibit card than anyone a TPG or AH would hand it to. If I get a walk-in at a show and I can get a good look at the card in hand, I am just fine with it.
Now, if the goal is a specific TPG grade, that I would not do absent a guarantee from a reputable seller.
The most difficult thing is when the item itself is really obscure. That happens in boxing, soccer and other sports more than baseball. I am approached from time to time with boxing card sellers who have uncatalogued cards. In that situation, all you can really do is rely on decent examination tools (black light, microscope) to detect anachronisms and make a judgment call if the card seems to be right for the purported age. Even then, you might never find out what it is. There is going to be a big group of newly-discovered vintage Latin American boxing issues in an upcoming Heritage auction. I've seen a few and they are consistent with the era and origin attributed to them, but it is still a leap of faith to buy those sorts of items.
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