Buying or selling online? See what’s making Tega Cay a good place to do it.

With so many strangers meeting up to make deals, Tega Cay police want to make sure transactions go smoothly.

The city’s police department announced a partnership with OfferUp to provide a MeetUp Spot. It’s a place where buyers and sellers can meet in-person, rather than getting together at homes, in parking lots or other places where one party could try to take advantage of the other.

Two parking spaces will be set aside at the Tega Cay Police Department. Buyers and sellers can use those spaces or the lobby. They’ll be under 24/7 video surveillance.

“This is an innovative way of providing yet another layer of safety to our community,” said Chief Steve Parker. “Having designated public spaces to conduct a transaction can help deter criminal intent and activity.”

A quick Facebook search finds for sale, giveaway, trading, online yard sale and related sites throughout Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Lake Wylie and Indian Land. At least 16 such sites have 1,000 or more members. One is up to 20,800. Most all of them cover multiple areas, bringing in Rock Hill, Charlotte, Steele Creek and Ballantyne. Meaning sales aren’t necessarily among neighbors just down the street.

A recent craigslist.com search for Fort Mill popped up almost 950 results. Hundreds more items come up in Tega Cay, Lake Wylie and Indian Land.

Then there’s OfferUp, the group partnering with Tega Cay. OfferUp is the largest mobile marketplace for local buyers and sellers in the country.

OfferUp offers several tips for buying and selling online. Public locations are best for meeting up, including police stations. The higher value the item being sold, the more caution sellers in particular should take. If larger items require people to meet at a home, having family members or friends present for the meeting is recommended.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Buying or selling online? See what’s making Tega Cay a good place to do it.."