Scams in Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa
A scam began in April 2009 when a female giving the name of Susan or Suzanne Hansard approached two small local businesses in Cedar Rapids. She claimed to be working with St. Luke’s and Mercy hospitals in Cedar Rapids and was producing flyers to be handed out to their employees advertising the smaller companies. Hansard claimed to have done this in other jurisdictions in Eastern Iowa and had had success. At least one small local business had contracted this service to be completed. Other phone calls were made between Hansard and the small business but nothing further for over a month. The small business learned from both St. Luke’s and Mercy that they had not contracted this service. The local business contacted police.
The Cedar Rapids Police Department has been in contact with Mercy and St. Luke’s and verified that neither hospitals distribute flyers advertising local businesses and no solicitation is allowed.
The Cedar Rapids Police Department is investigating these thefts and trying to identify the individual(s). We believe that there may be two women working together, or one woman wearing a disguise as the descriptions differ from each location. One woman is described as a white female, with dark or suntan complexion. She had dark brown hair with straight cut bangs across her forehead and the rest of her hair was parted in the middle. She was in her 40′s. The second woman is described as being older, perhaps in her 50-60’s with blonde or light colored hair.
If any Cedar Rapids business has had this occur, please call the Investigative Division at 319-286-5400 to report this. Similar incidents have been reported in other Eastern Iowa Jurisdictions. (Information provided by Cedar Rapids Police)
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