- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:23 05:42 12:19 15:46 18:51 20:10
The fraud came to light when one of the victims could not travel on June 3, as his ticket was found invalid at the airport (FILE)
The summer holiday season has exposed a new fraud in the travel market. A number of Indian expatriates who made travel plans for the forthcoming scorching months complain of being duped by a travel consultant.
He offered 'huge discounts on tickets' and disappeared after pocketing the money, customers alleged. Tickets worth Dh4,000 were given for as less as Dh1,700-Dh1,800.
Several passengers who booked tickets through this absconding agent are now trying to avail refund and seek alternative routes to travel.
Mohammed Nazir, Manager, Al Diyafa Travel and Tourism LLC, said an employee of the company has allegedly stolen LPO and other office material and sold tickets on the road offering huge discounts. “We have repaid 30 victims of fraud who came here yesterday with proper receipt. Today also we have paid money to some people. Most of them don’t have receipts for ticket bookings and the employee has been absconding,” he said.
Mohammed Fazal, an employee of Al Diyafa Tourism LLC, has apparently absconded after selling airline ticket to 200-odd Indian customers.
John Eappan, a DPS employee said: “We have booked nine tickets through Fazal with the help of a middleman, because he was selling Air India tickets at Dh1,700 to Dh1,800 compared to more than Dh2,000 going rate in the market. They convinced passengers that tickets are available at special discounted rates for bookings. Many passengers have been duped as they have paid money without accepting receipts."
The employee has apparently booked tickets for companies, schools andindividual families and friends, and pocketed the money.
“He has been working with us since the past 10 months only, said Nazir.
While Eappan got the refund from the company, there are many who do not have an official receipt to claim money. As our company name is involved, we will refund tickets to everyone who comes with a proper receipt,” Nazir added.
The fraud came to light when one of the victims could not travel on June 3, as his ticket was found invalid at the airport. Fazal was a travel consultant for the company and sold business class tickets worth Dh4,000 per ticket for just Dh1,700. Some companies have also vailed the so-called 'cheap tickets'.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.