WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ – The Wall Township Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Shiva Penmetsa, a 31-year-old man from Jersey City, in connection with a computer scam. The scam resulted in an 81-year-old township woman being defrauded out of thousands of dollars.
On May 5, 2023, police were called to the residence of the elderly victim, who had been deceived by an email claiming a $400 subscription payment. The woman, recognizing she had not made such a payment, contacted the phone number provided in the email. This led to her unwittingly granting the scammer, later identified as Penmetsa, electronic access to her computer.
Penmetsa manipulated the computer screen to falsely show a $40,000 refund to the victim for the subscription. He then convinced her to write two cashier’s checks, totaling $99,600, and deposit them into a Bank of America account on May 8, 2023.
Detective Zach Honecker of the Wall Township Police Department conducted an extensive investigation that led to the identification of Penmetsa. As a result, arrest warrants have been issued for Penmetsa on charges of second-degree theft by deception.
This case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of electronic scams, particularly those targeting vulnerable populations like the elderly. The Wall Township Police Department is actively pursuing the case and urges anyone with information to come forward.