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NEWARK – Consumers
who bought travel packages to Mecca for
a religious pilgrimage but instead ended
up stranded at an area airport when airline
bookings were not made will receive restitution
from the Woodbridge travel agency they used,
under a Consent Judgment that settles a
lawsuit filed by the Office of the Attorney
General and the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Defendants USA Haj Mission
Corp., doing business as Dar Al Muslimeen
USA and Al-Yamama Company USA, and its owner,
Syed Ehtesham Naqvi, (also known as Syed
Ehtesham Haider) have agreed to pay $23,055
in restitution to four consumers. The defendants
also agreed to binding arbitration to settle
complaints from nine additional consumers
who are seeking a total of $29,355 in restitution.
As part of the settlement,
the state and the defendants also agreed
to $131,000 in civil penalties. The penalties
are suspended, with the stipulation that
the defendants comply with all terms of
the Consent Judgment and the state’s
Consumer Fraud Act for a five-year period.
If the defendants do not comply, the $131,000
civil penalty will be enforced.
Consumer Affairs received
the restitution check for the four consumers
on November 25 and will distribute the funds.
“Consumers in some
instances were left standing at the airport,
with no advance notice about any problems
related to their trips,” Attorney
General Anne Milgram said. “We expect
companies to honor their contracts with
consumers and adhere to our consumer protection
laws. We are pleased that USA Haj Mission
Corp. has agreed to provide refunds to consumers
who were denied an opportunity to experience
an important religious pilgrimage.”
Throughout 2006, the travel
agency advertised and sold the Haj Travel
Package, which was represented to include
round-trip airfare from John F. Kennedy
International Airport to Saudi Arabia as
well as hotel accommodations and transportation
within Saudi Arabia. At all times, the travel
agency was located at 104 Second Street
in Woodbridge.
“The planned pilgrimage
to Mecca, a highpoint for Muslims, turned
into a nightmare for these consumers,”
said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director.
“Consumers suffer fiscal and emotional
loss when companies fail to deliver the
products and services that are contracted
for and, as in this case, we will take action
against those companies.”
The consumers were to depart
from JFK International Airport on December
22, 2006 and return from Saudi Arabia on
January 7, 2007. In the days leading up
to the departure date, defendants notified
consumers that they would depart on December
20, 2006. Upon arriving at JFK International
Airport for their departure flight, many
consumers learned that defendants failed
to purchase airline tickets for them. Over
the next several days, defendants told consumers
that alternative arrangements were being
made. It was not until December 23, 2006
that defendants told consumers that the
trip was cancelled.
The state filed suit in
October, 2007. The court previously granted
the state’s request for a restraining
order to prohibit the defendants from advertising
and selling travel packages to Mecca; from
disposing of any assets, including monies
paid by consumers for travel packages to
Mecca; and from disposing of books and records.
Deputy Attorney General
Jeffrey Koziar of the Consumer Fraud Prosecution
Section has represented the state in this
action.
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