Lebanese lottery scam suspect cuffed in Cyprus

$10m Interpol target awaits possible extradition

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Crime, 7th December 2007 13:49 GMT

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In a positively McNabbian tale of intrigue, an alleged Lebanese lottery scammer has been arrested in Cyprus.

Ali Mohamed Kdoud allegedly raked in more than $10m after duping gullible marks into believing they'd won a lottery. The email scam relies on tricking surfers into forking out up-front "processing fees" for non-existent winnings.

Security firm Sophos warns that confidential data obtained via the ruse can sometimes be used to obtain lines of credit under false names, or to raid online bank accounts.

Kdoud, the target of a Interpol investigation over the past two years, was arrested at Cyprus's Larnaca airport on Thursday as he attempted to leave the island. The 39-year-old is reportedly being held in custody pending possible extradition proceedings. ®

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