LULING — Buying and selling items online is a fast-growing trend, but the risk of being ripped off is also high, authorities said.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said an area in the training academy parking lot at 220 Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway in Luling has been designated so residents can finalize sales of items bought or sold through the Internet.

“With the increase in people buying and selling items online and through social media, we wanted to make a location people could feel safe making the exchange,” Champagne said.

Located at the entrance of the parking lot, there are two parking spaces designated as an Internet Exchange Location, which are under 24-hour video surveillance accessible by the Sheriff’s Office.

The lot, Champagne said, limits the exchange of personal information or the potential dangers of meeting a stranger in a random parking lot and gives an alternative that is public, monitored and accessible.