People buying and selling goods on sites like Craigslist and Gumtree now have a dedicated neutral location to do their transactions.
Bellingham Police Department in Massachusetts has set up a dedicated Internet Purchase Exchange Location' in its car park, for people that don't feel comfortable giving strangers their home address.
The area has CCTV coverage to ensure that locals remain safe while making swaps, and is directly across from the precinct's main entrance.
"We encourage our residents or anyone who participates in these types of transactions in the area to take advantage of this location," the department said. "Please don't meet strangers at private residences or in areas that you are unfamiliar with."
Similar exchange zones have also been set up by police in areas across the US, with the aim of taking the risk out of community e-commerce.
Classified ad website Craigslist in particular has a reputation for being somewhat dangerous for users, thanks to horror stories like Michelle Wilkins'.
The then-pregnant Wilkins responded to a Craigslist post advertising maternity clothes, but when she got to the home of seller Dynel Lane, she was knocked unconscious with a lava lamp. Her attacker then proceeded to cut open her womb and remove her unborn child.
This new system could help to bring public internet trading more in line with advances in the larger world of online shopping, such as Amazon Prime Now's one-hour delivery service.
The public has had a mixed reaction to the idea. As one Reddit user put it, "I don't know if I want cameras to see me buying 43 pounds of imitation crab meat from someone I met on Craigslist."
