LONDON: UK police have warned Muslims to remain vigilant against fraudulent websites impersonating the official Haj booking platform following a rise in pilgrimage-related scams, the news platform Hyphen said in an investigation.

Data obtained through a freedom of information request shows aspiring pilgrims reported losses of £195,752 in 2025, a 30 per cent increase from £150,000 in 2024. The City of London Police recorded 34 Haj-related fraud reports last year, with the highest individual loss amounting to £64,000.

The actual financial damage is believed to be far higher. The Council of British Hajjis has estimated that as few as three per cent of victims report such crimes, suggesting total losses could reach millions of pounds.

Police said fraud patterns have shifted in recent years. Earlier cases largely involved unlicensed travel agents selling bogus pilgrimage packages, but scams are increasingly moving online.

UK police move triggered by rise in pilgrimage-related scams

Investigators raised concern about fake versions of Nusuk, the Saudi government’s official portal for booking all-inclusive Haj packages, which pilgrims from eligible countries including the UK must use.

Haj is expected to take place between May 25 and June 30 this year. Online package prices range from £4,500 per person to more than £12,000 for premium options, while the UK receives around 3,600 Haj places annually.

Official figures show the highest number of fraud reports in a single month in 2025 was recorded in May, with further clusters in February and September. Most cases were classified as consumer and retail fraud, including misrepresentation or non-delivery of services, while several involved ticket fraud where purchased tickets were invalid or never supplied.

Police made no arrests related to Haj fraud last year, saying many offences now originate overseas. Authorities instead prioritise shutting down fraudulent websites and have urged the public to report suspicious platforms quickly.

Pilgrims have been advised to book only through the official Nusuk website and to use authorised travel agents listed on the platform.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Ives, City of London Police’s joint lead for Haj fraud, told Hyphen he did not know what had driven the year-on-year rise in reported financial losses.

“We hope that our messaging to report crimes is hitting home, but we are also worried the criminals are finding new tactics after the pivot to Nusuk,” he added.

“Our main issues were backstreet agents, dodgy agents selling packages they couldn’t deliver on or were never going to, and that’s been taken out of the game, largely, by Nusuk,” said Ives. He warned that fraudsters are adapting and that the force is receiving “a trickle of reports about fake Nusuk sites”, a trend he’s concerned is being under-reported.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2026