• If the graphics are made by the person offering them (i.e.  I post things with my watermark although there are a few I don’t even do that for but I certainly don’t offer things with someone else’s watermark).
• Posts or pages that offer series of snags (not a huge Hodge-Podge of differing snags).  Generally speaking, when I offer graphics of this sort to people, it’ll be on a post that contains the same image with different phrases.  Every once in a great while I’ll post a few different images together but it’s just a few (and, again, all with my own watermark).
• If it’s stated that the graphics are made from tuts, hand drawn, from a paid for Clip-art CD, shapes, brushes or wingding fonts (of course, there are certainly exceptions, but for the purposes of this course, we’ll assume they’re “safe”).  There are also a lot of safe tubes out there that you can use and, if the person has no warning flags and says they use tubes, they’re probably ok (again, for the purposes of this course, we’ll assume that they’re “safe”).
• For Groups, do the managers allow the members to post snags clearly stating that members must offer things they have only made themselves?  Keep in mind that a lot of group managers will let their members offer hundreds of unsafe snags without batting an eyelash.
• When in doubt, ask if someone has made something themselves if you can (if it’s a site where there’s no message board interaction, what do you say if you’re doubtful??  C’mon, you know this one.)  You can ask diplomatically by saying something like, “wow, those are really neat/cute/pretty/far out, did you make those yourself?” 
• Don’t be ashamed to snoop – check out their albums, look their pages.  Get a feel for the site/group.  Most of us that create graphics are pretty generous and do not hesitate to give credit where it’s due and, while we may be adamant, we’re not usually “in your face” about it.  Do all the pages say, “Mine, mine, MINE!  DO NOT COPY!!!!!!!?”  Or do they say something like “Image from a CD/artists name & link/site name &/or link, for the use of this site/group, please do not remove, © So & so, All rights reserved?”  If a group manager uses something by someone else, do they usually give credit?

So, to summarize:  Check that  group or site managers require & enforce that graphics offered must be made by those who are offering them; credit is routinely given; when in doubt, ask (if you can), don’t be afraid to snoop.