Tour package scam defrauds hundreds in Dhofar

Several residents of Dhofar have fallen victim to a large-scale scam by a fraudulent travel and tourism agency that promised luxury holiday packages at bargain prices before fleeing with collected funds.
Individual losses reportedly range from RO 100 to more than RO 1,500. Victims, many of them families, were lured through raffle coupon counters set up outside supermarkets. Days later, they received congratulatory calls claiming to be among ‘5,000 selected families’ eligible for exclusive international tour offers.
Meetings were arranged at a well-known hotel, where the gang posed as a professional tour operator. Packages were presented as all-inclusive, covering flights, hotels and meals, with added perks such as gym memberships and children’s activity vouchers.
However, the company’s CR details, addresses and office locations later proved to be fake.
The masterminds, identified as Radhakrishnan and his associate Saleena, are believed to have executed similar scams earlier in Bahrain and Sharjah. Victims have filed complaints with the Royal Oman Police for forgery and fraud.