Saudi ministry advises Umrah pilgrims not to carry large sums of cash, warns of fraud

Saudi Arabian authorities have advised Umrah pilgrims not to bring large sums of cash and expensive items when traveling to the Kingdom to perform the lesser pilgrimage.

In a post on Twitter, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah advised pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia not to bring gold bullion, precious stones and valuable precious metal in general and to carry a maximum of $16,000 (SAR 60,000) in cash.

The government authority also urged worshipers to download bank apps from official sites, not to share bank account details or transfer money to unknown parties, and to ignore text messages from unknown sources.

It advised pilgrims to notify the ministry or the relevant authorities if they suspect fraud or fall victims to it.

Earlier in March, the ministry had urged Muslims to only perform Umrah once during the holy month of Ramadan to reduce crowding and ensure a smooth and easy journey for pilgrims at the sites.

Muslims from around the world can apply to perform the pilgrimage through the Nusuk app and organize their entire trip – from applying for an eVisa to booking accommodation and flights – on the platform.

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year, except during Hajj.

Ramadan – the sacred month-long period when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset – sees an enormous number of people wanting to perform Umrah.

Ramadan began on March 23 and will end on April 21.