With the festive season upon us, scammers are ramping up their activities, police warn.

There has been an increase nationwide in reports of people falling victim to online scams, especially on sites such as Facebook Marketplace.

Bay of Plenty police urged the public to ensure they were aware of how best to protect themselves from such scams.

“We see firsthand the impact these scams can have on people, especially this time of the year,” Bay of Plenty district commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said.

“These scammers do not target anybody specific, so we’re ensuring everybody is educated to keep themselves safe.”

Anderson advised people to check the profile of the seller to see when the profile was created.

“If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that the account has been created for a fake item.”

Another important step was to ensure the seller’s profile name and bank account name matched.

“Never trust a screenshot that tells you something has been paid.

“You are best to check your own bank account to ensure a payment has gone through.”

If you were meeting someone in person to make a purchase, Anderson advised doing so in a public place with CCTV coverage.

If a deal looked too good to be true, it probably was.

To report any suspicious or illegal activity, contact police via 105.