KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) received a total of 121 reports related to fraudulent haj and umrah pilgrimage packages using furada visas against three travel agencies, involving losses of more than RM5mil.
PDRM secretary Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin said that Kuala Lumpur recorded the highest number of reports, with 48 reports lodged involving losses amounting to RM2mil, followed by Selangor with 30 reports, involving losses totalling RM956,300.
She added Pahang recorded 18 reports with a loss of RM1.2mil, while Kelantan, Perak and Johor received six reports each, with a loss amounting to RM608,000.
"Kedah received three reports with a loss of RM48,000, while Negri Sembilan recorded two reports with a loss of RM170,500, and Terengganu and Penang recorded one report each with a total loss of RM70,000,” she said in a statement Tuesday (July 19).
According to Noorsiah, a total of 323 victims were involved with 22 investigation papers opened.
On July 7, about 380 prospective haj pilgrims found themselves stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), believed to be victims of a scam by a private travel agency.
They were believed to have used furada visas, which are private haj visas not involving the Lembaga Tabung Haji quota. - Bernama
