Gympie police have seen an recent increase in reports from local women who are selling clothing or other items online, being contacted by an unknown person introducing themselves as Brad, Steve or assuming other alias.

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Police said today the person asks the sellers a series of personal questions and sends inappropriate images to the women.

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Gympie police are asking members of the community to make a report to police if they are victim to any inappropriate online behaviour.

If you are buying or selling items online, consider the following:

• Follow online safety advice from sources such as the Australian Cyber Security Centre regarding how to safely purchase/sell online
• Look into the buyer/seller before meeting up. Social media pages that have recently been created or only have a few followers may be indications that they’re fake
• Look out for pages where the conversation is one-way by the page owner, with little or no engagement from the pages community
• Check online shopping sites for secure methods of payment. Never pay by money order, pre-loaded money cards or wire transfer
• Do not accept screenshots as proof of payment
• Do not meet up with strangers at night or in secluded or private locations. Your personal safety is your priority when arranging to meet up. Consider meeting in a public area during day light hours where there is plenty of CCTV and people around
• If possible, take a family member or friend with you
• Consider your surroundings and trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable with any aspect of the sale or purchase, cancel the meeting
• Record details of the person you are meeting including name, email address, phone number and registration numbers.