At Christmas time, we can sometimes receive an unwanted gift, spend too much, and then regret our purchases later.

NZ Police have advice for those buying and selling gifts and recommend using a 'safe trade zone'.

"If you plan to sell your unwanted items, make sure you take care when doing so," says a police spokesperson.

Some districts have a safe trade zone, but if your town doesn't, then consider the following advice by police:

Safety tips when choosing a place to meet - Ngā kupu āwhina mō te kōwhiri i tētahi wāhi haumaru ki te tūtaki

• Meet in a public, well-lit area or consider only trading in daylight hours.

• Trade near, or in front of, a known/working CCTV camera, in busy foot-traffic or perhaps by a Police station.

• Don't go to the transaction alone.

• Make sure a friend or family member is aware of the transaction details

• Don't go into someone else's house, and do not allow them into yours

• Be extra cautious when buying or selling valuable items such as vehicles and jewellery

• Only use cash to complete your transactions and never deposit money into a person's account without receiving the item first

Trust your instincts, if it sounds like a scam, it probably is, says police.

"If somebody is not willing to come to a safe trading zone, it is probably not a legitimate transaction," says a police spokesperson.

Call 111 in an emergency if something is happening right now, illegal or suspicious.

If it's already happened you can provide information via the Police non-emergency number – call 105 or go online at 105.police.govt.nz

Selling or buying online? Choose a Safe Trade Zone - Kei te hoko mā te ipurangi? Kōwhiria he Wāhi Hoko Haumaru

Waea atu ki 111 me he ohotata, e tū ana rānei tētahi mea taihara, hihira rānei i taua wā tonu. Mēnā kua pahawa kē, me tuku taipitopito mā te nama ohotata-kore a Ngā Pirihimana - waea atu ki 105, toro ki te ipurangi ki 105.police.govt.nz rānei