RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has announced the arrest of a Greenville woman for insurance fraud and other charges.

Shantesha Peoples, 29, 209 Beech St. in Greenville has been charged with insurance fraud and an attempt to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies. Investigators with the N.C. Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division allege that on May 1, Peoples filed an automobile insurance claim with Nationwide claiming that she was involved in a motor vehicle accident.

An investigation revealed that no collision happened as one of the vehicles in the accident was not mechanically operable at the time of the reported accident. Peoples was attempting to collect insurance settlement for damages to her vehicle as part of the claim, which was also found to be untrue, officials said.

Peoples received a $10,000 secured bond and was placed in the Pitt County Detention Center.

“Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet,” Causey said. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar goes to cover the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”

If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.