Police are advising internet users to be cautious when buying goods online after a man was arrested for online fraud.

Officers are investigating four cases where victims paid for items they saw advertised by a user of a social networking site and the items were not delivered.

Two of the victims are from Gravesend and both report transferring a sum of money in return for items they never received.

A 37-year-old man from Gillingham has been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation. He has been bailed until 11 June pending further enquiries.

Officers are investigating four cases where victims paid for items they saw advertised by a user of a social networking site and the items were not delivered. Two of the victims are from Gravesend and both report transferring a sum of money in return for items they never received.

PC James Longhurst, neighbourhood officer, said: "Kent Police works closely with Action Fraud to share information on the latest crimes to help victims who have been targeted by fraudsters and to try and catch those responsible. This is an ongoing investigation and I would urge anyone else who thinks they are a victim to contact Action Fraud.

"Our advice to anyone who shops online is to only buy from genuine companies and never send bank details in an email, as genuine companies will not ask you to do this as it is not secure."

• If you shop online, check the company is genuine by contacting them directly and reading reviews. For more information on how to check if an online shop is genuine, visit theTrading Standards website.
• Never share personal data with anyone you do not know
• Only use secure shopping servers showing a padlock icon at the bottom of the browser window or a web address beginning with `https'
• Check the terms and conditions before you make a purchase, including if your details will be passed to other companies
• Using a credit card to purchase items online may give you more payment protection than a debit card if things go wrong.
• Never send your bank details to anyone in an email- genuine companies will not ask you to confirm personal information via email as it is not secure.

Action Fraud provides a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime. This information is then shared with the police, who build up intelligence about fraud, which includes who is committing what fraud and against whom.

When to take action

• If you receive a bill for something you haven't bought
• If you think you may have responded to a fraudster without realising it
• If you have given someone your bank details and you are worried they may not be genuine.
• If the offender is at the scene or it is an emergency incident, call 999.