Abu Dhabi residents cheated out of thousands by tour company

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Holiday packages sold but never delivered, offices closed and owners uncontactable

Abu Dhabi: More than 200 residents have been cheated out of thousands by a tour company in Abu Dhabi.

Make My Tour (MMT) approached residents in malls and asked them to fill out forms for a chance to win a prize.

Once families went to claim that prize they were offered five star travel packages at cheap rates.

Residents who signed up parted with between Dh1,000 to Dh30,000 and were then unable to avail of any of the benefits and weren’t offered discounts, leaving them shuttling between courts and government offices.

The tour company has since closed its offices and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has also pasted complaint notices on its door dated September 5 and September 23. The DED notice reads: “Based on complaints received against you [MMT], it’s requested to contact consumer protection department within two days from the date of issuing this notification.”

One of those affected by the scam, Balu Jacob, said, “I was cheated out of Dh30,000 and there are more than 200 people who gave been money and were cheated by Make My Tour.”

He believed that they might start another company in the UAE with same people.

“Somehow they have to be stopped so that other people should not be cheated.”

Many of those affected, mostly Indian residents have now complained to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the DED, said Jacob.