Birmingham Muslims warned over Mecca pilgrimage scams

Oct 24 2009 by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Mail

MUSLIMS from Birmingham are being warned to stay away from cowboy operators who have fleeced pilgrims out of thousands of pounds for trips to Mecca.

An estimated 25,000 British Muslims are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia next month to perform Hajj. It is feared thousands could fall prey to rogue firms offering travel deals which they then fail to deliver. Recent horror stories include members of a £2,350-a-head party of 70 pilgrims from Birmingham being forced to sleep in a kitchen because tents were full. The same group were promised internal flights but instead had to pay for their own coach travel. A seminar will be held in the city tomorrow to alert potential travellers to the risks.

Khalid Pervez, general secretary of the Birmingham-based Association of British Hujjaj, said: “Some of these people have been ripped off very badly. There are rogue firms operating with nothing more than a mobile phone and stack of leaflets which they leave in a mosque.

Sunday’s event is being held at the White Pearl Banqueting Suite on Upper Trinity Street, Birmingham, from 10am.