Vic Facebookers in hot water over guns ads

Victorians managing Facebook buy, swap and sell pages are facing possible fines after illegal gun ads were put up on their pages.

A recent tip-off to police in Victoria led them to interview a man who wasn't a licensed firearms dealer but advertised a gun on a local Facebook trading group.

It's understood the man sought out a licensed dealer to trade the firearm, as is permitted, but then also posted an ad on Facebook.

Under Facebook rules, the purchase, sale or trade of firearms, ammunition and explosives between private individuals isn't allowed.

"Keep in mind that posts about firearms in general are allowed on Facebook," the social media giant says in its rules.

"This includes discussions about sales in stores or by online retailers or posts advocating for changes to firearm regulation."

By allowing the ad to be published, the Facebook group's administrators are liable for fines of up to $6218.

Mildura firearms officer Leading Senior Constable Gary Pearse said Gumtree and eBay monitored incoming advertisements.

"But, on the localised pages, I don't think they have the same kind of vetting or they don't know what's illegal," he told AAP on Tuesday.

Victorians are banned from publishing firearms advertisements by people who aren't licensed firearm dealers.

Also banned are ads that don't note the serial number of the gun or the licence number of the dealer.