Hajj fraud crackdown

Police and trading standards officers plan to carry out visits and spot checks on travel agents over the next few months in a new clamp-down on Hajj-related crimes, which rocketed 143% last year.

Individuals planning pilgrimages to Mecca in Saudi Arabia were conned out of as much as £33,000 each, according to the national fraud reporting centre.

Between January 1 and December 31, there were 17 reports made to Action Fraud, which said the majority of victims were in London, the West Midlands and Manchester.

Between 2013 and 2017, Muslims who’d booked pilgrimmages to Mecca in Saudi Arabia reported fraud totalling £988,743.

Police and figures within the Muslim community believe the actual figure could be much higher as many victims feel too embarrassed or afraid to report the crime.

Action Fraud is hoping a new campaign to raise awareness of the crime will encourage more people to report Hajj-related offences.

Over the next few months, the City of London Police will be working with Birmingham Trading Standards to carry out visits and checks on travel agents.

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