How UAE-based firm stole hundreds of flight tickets, fuel worth Dh1 million in audacious scam

Masquerading as a legitimate construction business, Prime Experts claimed to need travel arrangements for 'employees'

Mazhar Farooqui

Published: Thu 7 Nov 2024, 1:34 PM

Last updated: Thu 7 Nov 2024, 6:38 PM

If you’ve snagged a deal on flights, hotels, or desert safaris, it might have been part of a scam. A Khaleej Times investigation has uncovered how Prime Experts Construction LLC, operating from Dubai’s Al Nahda, orchestrated a massive con that has left many reeling. The company purchased these services using post-dated cheques that later bounced, resold them for cash, and vanished last month without a trace.

Masquerading as a legitimate construction business, Prime Experts claimed to need travel arrangements for "employees." They quickly gained suppliers' trust with security cheques and by name-dropping reputable partners. "They promised payment every 15 days, even gave us a security cheque—which also bounced,” said Behzad Bhatti from Flyvour, a Dubai-based travel agency that lost Dh194,728 in unpaid airline tickets.

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The scale of the scam is staggering, involving hundreds of international flights on routes from London to Lahore and Muscat to Mumbai. Flyvour alone booked 201 international tickets for Prime Experts. DoJoin travel agency, based in Sharjah’s Ansar Mall, reported losses of Dh206,000, while another firm reported a loss of Dh98,000.

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A representative from DoJoin recounted his experience: “I visited a five-star resort in Dubai to seek answers about a booking we sold to Prime Expert. To my surprise, I encountered another guest who claimed he had booked through Prime. He even showed me his invoice, and it was for much less than what we charged. We felt completely helpless—there was nothing we could do."

Besides flights and hotels, Prime Experts also booked experiences, such as desert safaris and visits to At the Top, Burj Khalifa, and The View at The Palm, which were then resold at discounted rates.

The scam wasn't confined to the travel industry. Prime Experts also placed large diesel orders, leaving suppliers like Alpha Petroleum, Three Star Fuels, and Etemadi Fuel and Petroleum with unpaid bills totalling over Dh1 million. “They’ve broken our back. I don’t know if we’ll ever recover from this,” said Noor from Three Star Fuels, which supplied 52,500 gallons worth Dh554,512 to Prime’s warehouse in Sharjah’s industrial area.

Today, the warehouse stands abandoned, its rent unpaid. Prime Experts rented it for only two months before disappearing, leaving even the transporters who moved goods to the site unpaid. Reza, the Iranian owner of Etemadi Fuel, who supplied 13,500 gallons worth Dh419,000, expressed disbelief: “The scam has hit us hard. They seemed so professional. We didn’t see this coming.”

Following a familiar pattern seen in previous scams, Prime Experts quickly resold the flights, hotel stays, and fuel at rock-bottom prices, generating fast cash. Investigations revealed that the company had only one registered employee, and although it had been in business for nearly 10 years, the recent change in ownership went unnoticed by victims. “The fact that they’d been around for a while lulled us into a false sense of security,” Behzad said.

To bolster credibility, the company used forged documents, including fake VAT certificates and audit reports. Reza is considering legal action against the audit firm that provided these documents. Attempts by Khaleej Times to contact the audit firm went unanswered, with calls and emails yielding no response.

Many victims believe the scam could be much larger than anticipated. “When I visited Prime’s office in Al Mozna Building, I met several other business owners. Some had supplied electronic goods, others had given food items,” said Noor.

Many who approached authorities were advised to take the matter to the court, where high fees and lengthy proceedings add further obstacles. “We’ve been advised to approach the court, but fees are high, and there’s no guarantee we’ll recover our money,” Behzad explained. “It’s a huge blow to my business, and I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from this.”

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