WALL, NJ – Shiva Penmetsa, a 31-year-old man from Jersey City, was arrested on December 19, 2023, for orchestrating an email scam targeting an 81-year-old resident of Wall.
On May 5, Wall Police were alerted to the incident after the victim received an email thanking her for a $400 subscription payment, which she had not made. When the victim contacted the number provided in the email, Penmetsa remotely accessed her computer, falsely displaying a $40,000 refund. He then persuaded the victim to write cashier checks totaling $99,600, which she deposited into a Bank of America account on May 8.
Detective Zach Honecker led the extensive investigation that culminated in Penmetsa’s identification and arrest. He has been charged with second-degree theft by deception and is currently held in the Monmouth County Correction Institute.
The Wall Police Department has issued a public advisory urging residents to verify the legitimacy of any suspicious emails, phone calls, or communications by contacting the police.