Police are urging caution after reports of sellers being threatened and robbed during Facebook Marketplace meetups with fake buyers.

Police have recently investigated reports of people being threatened or assaulted and possessions taken from them when they meet with people posing as potential buyers of goods on social media, police said in a post on Facebook.

During these incidents, the buyers have taken the goods from the seller aggressively without paying and allegedly threatened the seller with a weapon, the post said.

“Police urge anyone selling on these platforms to exercise caution and if you do experience aggressive behaviour, report it to police.

“There are a number of quick changes that you can do to keep yourself safe.”

Police recommend using a reputable online site to sell items instead of social media.

If the buyer insists on meeting at an unusual location to complete the sale, be cautious. It may be that they do not want to be identified for a specific reason, said police.

Equally, if buyers are reluctant to meet in person or insist items are dropped off at a location, they may be avoiding being seen or identified.

“If you are meeting in person, do not go alone, and make sure it is in a public place away from any alleyways or side streets where someone could quickly disappear into.

“Also, check the social media profile of the buyer. Is it a new profile or relatively blank? Take a screenshot of the profile and your conversation before meeting. There is a chance it may be a fake profile, and they are sometimes deleted after you have met with them.”

Police warn that when selling items, make sure the money is in your account before sending or handing off items.

“And if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

People can report any incidents to the police’s 105 number, or report it online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Make a Report”.