UAE residents lose millions of dirhams in tour scam

By the time the victims - mostly Indian expats from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah - realised the fraud, the culprits had made away with the loot. The office of Make My Tour in the capital is now shut with a complaint note from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) pasted on the door. Victims have lodged a police complaint, reached out to the embassy and sought legal assistance.

'They mesmerise you with deals'

The trap, victims said, is found in malls across the country.

"A pleasant sales executive is at the entrance of every mall, who invites you to fill a simple form. Next day you receive a call saying you have won a lucky draw and you need to be there in their office with your family to collect the prize. Then they introduce you to their tour packages and mesmerise you. Eventually you sign the contract and pay through cheque or credit card. But when you try to avail the services through their login pages it doesn't work," said Indhu Saravanan, who lost Dh35,000.

Victims said the tour packages had 75 days of five star hotel stays anywhere in the world within 25 weeks of registration. The rates were 10-15 per cent cheaper than any offer in the market. However, no promises were kept and dream holiday never happened.

"A Make My Tour executive told me booking was done for a hotel in Fujairah but when we went there it wasn't. The executive told me to pay the full amount at the hotel, which would be reimbursed later. But I was duped," said Santhosh Rajamanickam, who paid Dh25,000 for a package.

The scammers sell a package with up to 90 per cent discount.

"They offered me package for Dh15,000, when I didn't agree, the rates dropped. To my shock they finally offered the same package for Dh1,750," said Mohiyadhum Mubarak.

'No end to fraudsters and scams'

Babu M.K., who got cheated for Dh14,000, said his doubts of foul play turned into reality when all victims received a mail with details of the modus operandi. "Someone wrote to 200 or more victims informing about the fraud and that the brain behind this is in Sharjah. The sender asked us to fight to get the money back. But the matter was settled with postdated dud cheques. We have reached out to the DED, Indian Embassy and also taken legal assistance. The names of culprits we know are Amjith Koya, Upasana Salian, Manisha, Manoj and Vignesh. There is another company started in Dubai with the same staff who duped us here. The booking form of this new company still has same contact details of Make My Tour," Babu said.

Karthik S., a resident of Fujairah, noted the entire operations happened in three months' time.

"They would have shelled out Dh200,000 to Dh300,000 for their operations and made up to Dh2.5 million to Dh3 million. We are just among the thousands who are being duped across the country."

The victims, from different emirates, have formed a WhatsApp group and recently held a gathering to deliberate on their future course of action. "We want to create awareness. Our money is lost, we don't want anyone else to go through this agony," they said.

Khaleej Times contacted the company but their office in Abu Dhabi is closed.