Chennai, Aug 19 (IANS): An assistant commandant of Tamil Nadu Special Police II Battalion, Manimuthur lost Rs 7.5 lakh in online fraud by a Nigerian cybercriminal gang.

Karthikeyan, the Assistant Commandant, who is a Superintendent level police officer, fell into the trap of the Nigerian cybercriminal after he introduced himself as Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, C. Sylendrababu.

The commandant purchased online Amazon gift cards through phone and other social media platforms according to the instructions of the Nigerian criminal believing that he was buying this for the state DGP.

Police sources told IANS that the Cyber Police team of Tirunelveli has commenced investigation based on the complaint by Karthikeyan who found out that he was cheated. Cybercriminals generally use these gift cards to recharge online gaming accounts as well as to make other online purchases.

Tirunelveli police Superintendent, Saravanan directed all police officers in the district to be cautious about such online cheating. The local police officers are embarrassed about the senior officer falling into a trap of a Nigerian cyber-criminal. Several officers are of the opinion that the concerned police officer was trying to appease the DGP by buying online games and that this amounts to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

A senior officer of the Tamil Nadu Police while speaking to IANS said, "He is a senior police officer but does not know anything about technology. If he had checked the number from which the Nigerian had called using a caller identification app, he could have easily identified that it was a hoax call."