The Ministry of Haj is executing a plan to crack down on fake Haj operators inside the Kingdom who fleece their customers by collecting money for the Haj in advance and then suddenly vanish without a trace. They shut down their offices and keep their mobiles switched off leaving their victims in the lurch.

The ministry is also monitoring the service category where some operators claim to offer “VIP” services but it is merely a trick to charge large amounts of money from the hapless customers.

The authorities have been advising people to be cautious while dealing with Haj operators and this year it has drawn up an effective plan to eradicate the fraudulent practices.

“The Haj Ministry will closely monitor the marketing and advertisement campaigns of local Haj operators to prevent fraud,” Bandar Hajjar, Haj minister said in a statement on Sunday.

“We will monitor all the modes of communications including the print and social media, brochures and leaflets distributed on the streets or any posters pasted in the localities,” he added.

The Haj minister pointed out that it is mandatory for all Haj operators inside the Kingdom to display on their advertisements their license number, class of accommodation and the allowed number of pilgrims in Mina.

The minister warned that action would be taken against operators who failed to adhere to the new rules and urged the public not to approach operators who did not advertise their details as proclaimed by the ministry. Hajjar also advised the people not to fall into the trap of the VIP services or luxury facilities as the ministry had instructed the Haj operators to refrain from duping the public.

He also urged people to lodge their grievances or observations on the Haj ministry’s web portal at www.haj.gov.sa

The minister further warned expatriates who are involved in Haj operating offices and have cases against them that they would be deported after completion of their prison sentences while Saudi citizens would be dealt with very strictly.

This year, the civil defense authorities have been tasked with tracking down Haj operators who are not in compliance with the safety regulations.

This was revealed in a meeting recently held in Jeddah between various ministries with the participation of the Haj establishments.

There are several bogus Haj operating services in the major cities across the Kingdom and in the Makkah region in particular. According to the Haj ministry’s statistics, the Makkah region alone accounted for 13 such cases last year.