Hajj pilgrims urged to report scams

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills:

Hajj pilgrims urged to report scams
Nov 19, 2009

As more than 25,000 British Muslims travel to Mecca for Hajj, the
Government is urging pilgrims to know their rights and report scam
artists.

In previous years, some Hajj pilgrims have been ripped off by a variety of
scams, including paying for a five star hotel but getting substandard
accommodation, or in extreme cases, some agents have disappeared and taken
pilgrims’ money with them.

Consumer Affairs Minister Kevin Brennan said:

“British pilgrims should not suffer in silence if they feel that they have
been ripped off.

We are urging pilgrims to take simple steps to protect themselves, such as
retaining travel documents, taking photos of any substandard
accommodation, and most importantly, reporting any unsatisfactory
experiences to trading standards.

The Government believes that many cases of pilgrims losing out go
unreported – preventing them from getting the help, refunds or
compensation they are entitled to. It is important to recognise that Hajj
pilgrims have the same rights under the Package Travel Regulations as
anyone else booking a package trip”

Pilgrims should be aware of the following:

*when choosing a travel organiser or a particular trip, don’t rely on word
of mouth recommendations and don’t automatically choose the cheapest offer
you see advertised
*check that your package operator holds a current Air Travel Organiser’s
Licence (ATOL). During an economic downturn it is even more important that
you check that your Hajj tour operator is ATOL-registered. This means any
pre-payments are protected and that, if the firm were to go bust – you
will be flown back home
*agree your tour itinerary in writing before parting with any money
*keep documents such as contracts, invoices and letters in a safe place,
as this helps with redress if things go wrong.

Rashid Mogradia, Council of British Hajjis said

“Pilgrims should know that they have rights when booking a pilgrimage
tour, and we encourage them to book throughthe Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of
Hajj approved list of tour operators and furthermore book with ATOL
registeredoperators and to avoid those individuals and rogue tour
providers who only supply mobile telephones and are not genuine registered
businesses.”

Pilgrims who are unhappy with their trip should, as soon as possible,
bring this to the attention of a representative of the travel company. If
you can’t resolve the problem complain to your nearest Local Council
Trading Standards Departments. They can investigate if a firm fails to
honour its responsibilities and can advise on how to seek compensation if
the service pilgrims received was not what was promised.

Many pilgrims will recall the case last year which involved East London
Hajj travel operator Qibla Hajj Kalefa Services. This company defrauded
around 300 Hajj pilgrims disappearing with over half a million pounds of
their money. Following an intensive investigation, Tower Hamlets
Metropolitan Police, along with help from Tower Hamlets Trading Standards,
managed to secure a 6 year jail sentence for fraud for company director
Mohammed Faruk Ahmed.

Any Hajj travel operator who organises nothing or disappears with
pilgrims’ money should be reported to the Police as soon as possible. This
is straight forward fraud.

Notes to Editors:

·  Any firm arranging flights as part of a package must have an ATOL
licence, which ensures that payments are protected if the company goes
bust. After the collapse of Luton-based tour operator Go4 Hajj in 2007,
pilgrims were refunded £270,000 thanks to the firm’s ATOL protection.

·  Pilgrims can check whether their operator has an ATOL on the Civil
Aviation Authority’s website atwww.atol.org.uk using the â  Check an ATOL’
facility or by calling 020 7453 6424.

·  Mohammed Faruk Ahmed, operating under the name of Quibla Hajj Kafela
Services, was sentenced to 6 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court in July 2009
for defrauding hundreds of Hajj pilgrims out of half a million pounds.
Ahmed had accepted large amounts of money and passports from hundreds of
unsuspecting pilgrims before disappearing.

·  Anyone experiencing problems can get advice from their local Trading
Standards Department. Contact details for local offices are available from
Consumer Direct on 08454 04056, atwww.consumerdirect.gov.uk
<http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/>  or from local town halls.

·  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) atwww.fco.gov.uk/hajj offers
practical advice toHajj pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia, including the
latest travel information and health requirements. Before travelling Hajj
pilgrims should check the FCO travel advice and the information on the
website of the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London.

·  The Council of British Hajis (the CBH) is a voluntary organisation
working at grassâ  roots for the welfare of British Pilgrims. The CBH runs
annual pre-Hajj advice seminars and this year ran the country’s first Hajj
vaccination clinic, in partnership with the NHS, to offer mandatory
vaccinations required by Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2009 tel: 0845 833 4145
email:info@the-cbh.org.uk <mailto:%20info@the-cbh.org.uk