Fraud specialists to support residents during Black Friday and Christmas shopping period

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 12:18

By David Murphy

Greater Manchester Police’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit (ECCU) will be running pop-up fraud advice events in the run-up to Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, including a session at Virgin Money in Rochdale on Tuesday 19 November.

Officers and trained volunteers from the ECCU will be offering face-to-face guidance at locations across Greater Manchester to help shoppers protect themselves against online scams. The events form part of Operation North Star, GMP’s annual initiative aimed at keeping communities safe over the festive season.

Since April, the force has received 1,166 reports of online shopping fraud, with victims in the region losing a combined £1.2 million. In 2024, total losses reported in Greater Manchester were £1.6 million.

Detective Inspector Stacey Shannon said:

“Black Friday and the lead-up to the festive season is a busy time for everyone when it comes to online shopping and deliveries, and fraudsters know it.

“Our teams will be providing practical advice to help residents shop safely online and avoid falling for bogus websites or scam offers.

“Alongside public pop-ups, we’ve also been working with local schools, colleges and universities to improve awareness of cyber crime.”

As well as offering prevention tips, GMP says its investigation teams are continuing to target serious and organised offenders and will use powers to recover assets linked to criminal fraud.

The advice sessions in Rochdale and across the region will take place from 10am to 1pm and are free to attend.