Due to increasing levels of fraud many pilgrims do not receive the air tickets they have paid for while others arrive at their destination and find they have nowhere to stay.
Last year 600 people reported being victims of Hajj fraud, but the Association of British Hujjaj, a Muslim monitoring group, estimates the real figure is probably ten times that. The losses ranged from £200 to £20,000.
Police constable Asif Sadiq is one of those who has been conned by fraudsters. Sadiq lost £9000 when he was sold a week-long slot in a timeshare apartment near Makkah. A year later, after receiving the title deeds and contract, the company said sent an email saying the scheme had been cancelled. He then visited the apartments close to Makkah but staff said they had no knowledge of the enterprise, leaving him with no way of getting his money back.
“I feel cheated out of my hard- earned savings, and as far as I am aware thousands of other people have been tricked into investing in the same bogus scheme.” Said Sadiq. “This experience means I will never be able to book a Hajj or Umrah package without being suspicious throughout the trip, ruining the whole religious experience for me for life.”
Mohammed Ahmed, was jailed for six years after stealing £500,000 from pilgrims who had booked flights and hotels through him.
Every able-bodied Muslim is expected to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca - the holiest meeting place in the Islamic religion - at least once in their lifetime and many save for years to be able to afford it.
Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Head, from City of London police, said: “People are doing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they are going on the pilgrimage to Mecca, they are building themselves up, saving, saving possibly for a whole lifetime and then when it comes right down to it that is being taken away from them and that money is being stolen.”
Dr Shuja Shafi, of the Muslim Council of Britain said: “I don't see any reason for withholding information that is so important because one is trying to prevent future events as well and we must make sure that people don't get away with organised fraud.”
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