Auction Scans/Descriptions Expectation vs Reality

[zsk]

More of a newbie topic as I get back into collecting…

I found a past thread that detailed horror stories from prominent auction houses that did not display accurate scans which resulted in some surprised customers.

Feeling a little leery about a current auction I’m monitoring, I decided to contact the AH because they do not list a description for low graded cards. I was surprised to hear that “Unfortunately, we do not provide descriptions of wrinkles or creases for graded items, as these are typically assessed based on their overall grade and condition.”

Is this common practice and how do you navigate this when purchasing? I’m assuming there’s almost no recourse if your card doesn’t “match” the scan, so do you even bother bidding?