By Sean O’Driscoll

A MAN has lost $100,000 to an Irish lottery scam highlighted by the Irish Voice before Christmas, a U.S. bank fraud expert has said.

The victim, living in Maryland, believed he was to collect on a $800,000 Irish lottery but was robbed after sending the scammers details of how they could collect $100,000 from his bank account.

Ralph Mowen, a security expert at Susquehanna Bancshares bank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said that he had investigated the case and that the victim had not been able to recover any money yet.

Mowen said that the victim was from Hagerstown, Maryland and had actually sent the $100,000 out of the U.S. to collect his Irish lottery winnings.

“He believed that he could get his money back but there was nothing we could do. People should always check out such claims before they act,” he said.

The figure was one of the most successful scams of its type seen by Mowen in recent years.

The Irish National Lottery has already warned of the international email scam, which is designed to fool readers into believing they have won large amounts in the Irish lottery.

The scam sends out emails with official-looking “Irish Lottery” logos on top, telling the reader that they have won the lottery and later seeking bank details to transfer the winning money.

The fraudsters then withdraw money from the accounts with the information supplied.

The emails are cleverly designed, with a statement at the bottom warning winners to avoid Internet scams and telling readers that no bank details should be given out. However, the scammers later ask for bank details when the “winner” contacts them.

The emails include colorful logos on the top with a green background and featuring an Irish harp and a lottery ball in place of the o in “lottery.”

It also has the genuine Irish National Lottery logo at the bottom, including the Irish language translation, An Crannchur Naisiunta.

The email begins: “IRISH GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED IRISH WEB LOTTERY IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT” and includes a fake registration number.

It includes an official address in Sligo city on the west coast of Ireland and tells the reader that “we are pleased to announce to you the

draw of the IRISH LOTTERY PROGRAM online Sweepstakes International Program held on WED-NESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 2005” and that the reader’s email address was attached to the winning ticket.

It includes a ream of official sounding data, including the supposed ticket number, its serial number and the winning lottery numbers.

“You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of ¤3,048,206 euros in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/06 of Irish Lottery,” it adds.