How to Avoid Hajj Fraud?

Every year, more than two million Muslims do the hajj, travelling to Makkah, the site of the world's biggest yearly gathering of people. Among the crowd are numerous individuals from the UK who have spent years saving up for this trip, fully aware that it is a unique opportunity that may never come again. Regrettably, as the hajj season nears, a substantial number of Muslims who have purchased a tour package for themselves and their loved ones will find that their aspirations have been crushed by scammers. Recently, an increasing number of individuals have become targets of hajj frauds, resulting in many losing substantial amounts of money on trips to Makkah. Numerous individuals have experienced substantial financial setbacks, often losing their entire life savings. Hajj scammers target individuals without regard to their age, gender, or location. Before the hajj pilgrimage, criminal organisations are preying on authorised travel companies to promote fake trips to Saudi Arabia. Sometimes, ‘hajj tours’ are available for purchase at half of the regular price, but just before the trip starts, the tour company shuts down, leaving customers without a tour or any chance of receiving a refund. Some travellers may reach Saudi Arabia only to realise that the reserved accommodation is not real, while others may experience their entire journey being a fraudulent scheme organised by dishonest travel agencies who have vanished with large sums of their cash. There are several actions you can take to reduce your risk of becoming a target. How to Avoid Hajj Fraud?

To avoid hajj fraud

Ensuring your travel company is part of a reputable association like ABTA can help guard against fraud. Every ABTA member must adhere to a code of conduct and meet strict entry requirements to reduce the risk of dishonest businesses becoming members. Ensure that your travel agency is protected by ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) when booking a flight inclusive package. If the travel company goes out of business while you are in Saudi Arabia, your return flight ticket should still be honoured, but you may need to pay for your accommodation again.

Does your travel agent/tour operator have accreditation from the Saudi embassy?

Before making a booking, make sure to carefully research your travel agency or tour operator if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. An endorsement from a friend or relative doesn’t necessarily mean the outfit is genuine, scammers may be operating for some time before absconding with the assets. Go on the internet and do a search for the travel company to check if there are any reviews from other people about their services. By conducting research on the company, you are reducing the possibility of falling victim to fraud. Make sure to verify what you are being charged for. When making payment, think carefully about how you choose to pay. Creating a traceable paper record and maintaining documentation of financial transactions can help prevent fraud against you.

Get everything in writing

Get everything in written form. Make sure to always receive written terms and conditions as they outline your agreement with the travel company. Ensure that your flight information, lodging, and hajj visa are all up to date. Avoid making payments to the travel company in cash or through a direct bank transfer to an individual’s account. The majority of reputable companies will have partnerships with banks to process credits or debit card payments. If you make a payment through bank transfer or cash and the company happens to be fake, recovering your money will be extremely difficult.

Victims of hajj fraud

Reporting fraud is crucial in order to halt criminals and prevent others from being deceived by the same scheme. Kindly do not endure silently or be ashamed to speak up. In case you fall victim to hajj fraud, make sure to inform action fraud or report it on their website. as they are experts in addressing fraud and financially driven internet. To avoid being scammed, think wisely while choosing a good travelling agency for your most important trip. Here’s a highly recommended agency named ‘Haleema travels’. With extensive experience behind us, we are able to focus on ensuring your safety and well-being throughout your journey, while also delivering top-notch service every step of the way. At Haleema travels, we provide different hajj packages to our customers according to their needs and comfort. So, think about booking us and if you have any kind of queries, feel free to contact us now!

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