Muslims warned about Hajj fraudsters
Muslims are being warned about fraudsters trying to con them with bogus travel packages to Saudi Arabia.
Hundreds of people from the Muslim community have fallen victim to Hajj scams, with some losing up to £33,000, police say.
A ‘significant’ number of people who have paid for tour packages for themselves and their family have arrived in Saudi Arabia only to discover their accommodation is either very low quality or does not even exist.
Others have found their whole trip is a scam set up by illegal travel operators who then disappear with their money.
Up to 25,000 British Muslims travel for Hajj – the Islamic pilgrimage – each year. Many save for months to make the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Mecca.
In a bid to raise awareness of Hajj frauds, police have launched a campaign aimed at protecting the Muslim community.