Schengen visa scam in UAE: Fake travel agents charging Dh4,000, experts warn

A warning has gone out concerning dubious travel agents exploiting UAE residents by charging thousands of dirhams for “guaranteed” Schengen visa appointments, only to go MIA thereafter, during the peak summer travel season.

Faisal M., from Dubai Marina, was left with two travel plans – a summer trip to Netherlands, Spain, and Austria with his wife – after losing close to Dh4,000 per visa to a travel agent who “guaranteed” Schengen Appointments in early May.

“I received a call from a travel agent asking whether I was interested in a Schengen Visa. Upon expressing interest, he specified the amount he required, and I agreed,” said Faisal. “But on the appointment day, he instructed me to meet him near Wafi mall.

In his comments, Faisal noted how he called the agent multiple times, only to be left on the line waiting to get through. “I tried calling him over and over again, to no avail. He kept saying he'd join shortly but eventually, I stopped hearing from him,” he expanded. The agent continued to lie to him, stating that the application was 'under process.'

Eventually Faisal managed to find one of the agents, and convinced him to meet near Mall of the Emirates. “I managed to get him to meet me prior to the May 7 appointment. I drove him directly to Barsha Police Station and told him that if he didn’t refund my money, I was going to report him,” elaborated Faisal. “After arguing with him for two hours, he returned the amount to me. 5,000 Dh. I do however have a picture of his Emirates ID along with his residential address just in case.”

Businessman Nirmal Rathod, distributor of dairy products, also managed to avoid falling victim to a particularly nasty scam. He almost paid 3,500 Dh to a travel agent, but decided to check with one of his trusted agents first.

“Next month, I was supposed to attend a Food and Agriculture expo in the Netherlands. My travel agent was going to do his best to get me there, but a week later told me it was impossible,” shared Rathod.

A few days later, one of his contacts reached out to him claiming that they had an appointment slot available but for a premium.

“While I didn’t trust this person, I ended up confirming it with my agent. Fortunately, my agent informed me about a string of cons currently going on in the market. I chose to not go forth and decided to skip the expo this year,” he said.

Apply through verified sources

Travel agents are encouraging residents to procure the visa from trusted platforms. “Schengen member countries are one of the most sought out areas,” noted Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager of Wisefox Tourism.  

“A never-ending queue has resulted from the popularity and, as a result, appointment slots are nearly non-existent. Tourists are not the only ones; a lot of other business people are also trying to outbid each other for these visa slots.”  

“As has been remarked, these everyday walkers such as students, practioners or businessmen are not from around Dubai. So, if you want to pay for the service, ensure the travel agency has a functional website, a Dubai registration and a landline. Do not send money via the internet to unverified agents,” said Subair.  

VFS Global, the visa processing facilitator, confirmed the unprecedented demand for international trips during summer has augmented the gap between demand and appointment availability.  

“Appointments as well as visa issuing timelines are strictly governed by the corresponding embassy or consulate that is has voted election free-slots on their official website,” VFS claimed. “We prompt all customers, in one voice, in regards to the urgency of the demand to be prepared well in advance.”  

They emphasized that applicants should be cautioned not to pay third-party surrogates claiming to provide guaranteed access to slots or appointments.

It is vital to be wary of deceitful third-party individuals who sell appointment slots or provide visas in exchange for a payment,” added the statement. “We continuously circulate public service announcements at all client interaction points to warn applicants about misrepresentation.”

Things to remember

• Make sure the travel agency operates using a landline.

• Verify the agency’s registration in Dubai.

• Determine whether the agency has an operational website.

• Do not wire money to individuals or unverified agents.

• If payment is a must, go to the agency to pay in person.

Exercise caution while organizing your travel itinerary— familiarize yourself with Schengen visa scams so you can avoid the loss of Dh4,000. Subscribe to Just Dubai to stay updated!