Arrangements made for international Hajj pilgrims, with warning issued against scammers

Saudi authorities warned pilgrims against scammers and fake Hajj services offered online

Saudi policewomen receive calls at the the Saudi National Center for Security Operations, 911, ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Monday, July 4Show more

Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah authorities have completed all arrangements for international pilgrims arriving into the kingdom ahead of Hajj this year, authorities at Jeddah's Hajj terminal have told The National.

Pilgrims from abroad faced technical difficulties as millions of Muslims across the world tried to register for Hajj.

Saudi Arabia transitioned to the Nusuk app in 2022, for pilgrims to fill out their applications.

“Millions of applications were coming in and a lot of people were trying to register multiple times,” said Abbas Ihsan, a Hajj operator in Jeddah.

“Other times, the app would not work, so we had a lot of delays in pilgrims registering from the USA and UK,”

“Because it's a new booking system for Muslims all over the world the applications were delayed, but we worked closely with authorities to sort out the technicalities and have successfully confirmed all official applications through Nusuk and our pilgrims have started coming in,” he told The National.

The Saudi Public Security Forces on Thursday warned pilgrims against scammers and fake services regarding services and facilities related to the performance of Hajj rituals.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced plans for pilgrims to apply from outside the kingdom. In May, Saudi authorities released a list of Hajj packages for international Hajj pilgrims.

The “individual pilgrims” service is part of a series introduced by the Saudi authorities to streamline and improve the way people apply for the pilgrimage.

The service issues permits for Umrah and praying in the Prophet's Mosque, or the Rawdah Sharif, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed is located.

Saudi Arabia is the first country to allow visa applicants to register their requests using a smartphone via the Nusuk app.

Nusuk offers more than 121 services to assist pilgrims from all over the world.

Authorities called on Saudi citizens and residents to ignore fake advertisements on social media about performing Hajj “on behalf of others,” as well as those advertising securing and distributing Adahi coupons for pilgrims - for which there is an official website provided by the government.

They also warned about websites claiming to sell Hajj bracelets, which will be provided by government agencies.

“Exploiting the pilgrimage to collect donations is considered as one of the major crimes that warrant an arrest if these practices involve the use of any fraudulent methods to illegally seize the money of others,” the prosecutors said.

To avoid fraudulent activities, the Indian Hajj ministry advised pilgrims to “not pay any amount to any private individual, agency, or association for arrangements related to Hajj 2023.”

Authorities have called on citizens and residents to abide by the Hajj regulations and instructions and to report any violations by calling the allocated emergency hotline in their city or region.