Wall Woman Loses Thousands In Email Scam; Warrant For Suspect

WALL, NJ — Police said they now have a suspect in a May 5 email scam in which a Wall woman lost thousands of dollars.

Wall Detective Zach Honecker, who conducted the fraud investigation, has issued an arrest warrant for Shiva Pemesta, 31, Jersey City, for second-degree theft by deception, police said.

The theft started with an email scam, according to police.

The woman, 81, received an email from a man (later identified as Penmetsa), thanking her for a $400 payment for a supposed subscription, police said.

Since the woman did not pay for a subscription, she called the phone number associated with the email.

Then the victim allowed the suspect to gain electronic access to her computer and manipulated the computer screen to show the victim was refunded $40,000 for the subscription "by accident," police said.

The suspect instructed the woman to write two cashiers checks, one for $39,600.00 and one for $60,000, police said. The victim then deposited the checks into a Bank of America account on May 8, police said.

Information was not released as yet regarding on an arrest of the suspect, or if the victim's money can be recovered.