A Northwood woman, who deputies say impersonated doctors and defrauded area charities by pretending to have cancer, received a suspended sentence on Monday in a Worth County courtroom.
Jennifer Hope Mikesell, 44, pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge of ongoing criminal conduct. Six aggravated misdemeanor charges of forgery and charge of felony second-degree theft were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Mikesell
Mikesell was arrested in December 2019 after being accused of pretending to have cancer and reaching out to area charities and individuals for donations of money, goods and services, even going so far as to create fake email addresses and forge doctors' notes from three providers at Mayo Clinic (one of which is not actually employed there), where she claimed to be receiving care, according to court documents.
Evidence collected by law enforcement uncovered emails which were sent to Mikesell's husband and employer from an email account which was opened by Mikesell and used to represent herself as a Mayo employee.
Mikesell obtained contributions from Meal Train and GoFundMe, and received a renovated bedroom from My Happy Haven, a Mason City-based organization which charitably provides comfortable recuperation spaces in the homes of those diagnosed with life-altering illnesses.
Search warrants executed on Mayo Clinic's records determined that providers there had never diagnosed Mikesell with cancer, and that no treatments or surgeries took place.
Mikesell was given a suspended sentence of up to 25 years in prison, along with five years of probation. She is also ordered to pay restitution to those she defrauded as well as to continue to seek treatment by a mental health professional as recommended.
Court records show Mikesell also has past convictions for similar charges.
In 2015, Mikesell, whose last name was then Nilges, was charged in Mitchell County with ongoing criminal conduct and second-degree theft for her role in stealing $1,400 from a Girl Scout troop bank account. She later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, spending 10 days in jail and paying $625 in fines.
Another court case in Florida in 2003 links Mikesell to identity theft and forgery charges, to which she pleaded no contest, and received three years of probation and was ordered to pay over $2,000 in restitution and fines.
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North Iowa scams: 20 stories of area scams you should be aware of
MASON CITY | Two men police say scammed a North Iowa woman out of nearly $11,000 by pretending to be with the Internal Revenue Service have been arrested.
Eduardo Cruz, 41, of Grapevine, Texas, and Coty Lee Phillips, 22, of Eufaula, Alabama, were each charged with one count of felony second-degree theft.
Posing as IRS agents, the two men threatened a North Iowa woman with arrest if she didn't pay them money they claimed she owned the government, said Mason City Police Capt. Mike McKelvey.
They called her over the phone. Police don't know why she was targeted.
In May, she transferred $4,986 into a bank account for Cruz and $6,000 into an account belonging to Phillips, according to court documents.
The woman was in the process of sending them more money when staffers at a Mason City bank realized what was happening and stopped her, McKelvey said.
"Luckily, the bank people stopped her from making another mistake," he said.
Police say the high-pressure tactics used by Cruz and Phillips, who allegedly told the woman she'd be jailed if she didn't pay, are hallmarks of phone scams.
The goal is to force people into making a decision quickly before they have time to think things through, McKelvey said.
"They prey on that vulnerability or opportunity or weakness," he said. "If they see an opportunity, they go for it quickly and quickness is how these scams occur."
Several phone scams using similar tactics surface in the Mason City area on a regular basis.
Earlier this week, someone posing as an Alliant Energy demanded a number of local businesses pay big money for past-due utility bills.
Police say a number of Mason City residents also recently reported being targeted for the "grandchild scam."
In those frauds, the caller claims to be a wayward grandchild in need of money, often to get out of jail or get home.
Sometimes they pretend a grandchild needs money for life-saving medical care.
Cruz and Phillips were arrested out of state, brought back to Mason City and charged.
They both remained incarcerated Friday afternoon at the Cerro Gordo County Jail.
Their next court hearing is Tuesday in District Court in Mason City.
OSAGE | An Osage man accused of selling fake iPhones faces criminal charges.
Reed Barclay, 35, was charged with felony ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanor fourth-degree theft.
A woman contacted Osage police in December claiming Barclay sold her a fake iPhone 6S Plus for $300 under the guise that it was a new, legitimate product, according to court documents.
Police said the woman had answered an advertisement Barclay posted on a Facebook page called Guy Stuff: Sell/Trade/Buy North Iowa and paid him on Dec. 18 at a gas station parking lot in Osage.
She went to police after an employee of a Waverly cell phone store told her they couldn't switch the phone over to her service because the serial number was linked to another account and didn't match the number on the box, according to court documents.
Police say another store worker told them the model number on the phone linked to a Youtube link to an iPhone 6s clone, the device ran slow, looked different than a real phone and an internet search of the serial number linked to Chinese websites.
Often built in China, iPhone clones are knockoffs meant to look like the real thing.
The victim told police that Barclay wouldn't return her money.
Barclay also is accused of selling a woman a fake iPhone 6s Plus in Mason City on Dec. 12.
That phone was offered for sale for $350, police say.
Barclay, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April, was out on appeal at the time he allegedly sold the bogus iPhones.
The charges were for selling methamphetamine.
Barclay claimed in the appeal that the District Court discriminated against him because of a mental illness and asked the Iowa Court of Appeals to place him on probation instead of prison.
The appeal was denied on Jan. 11.
Barclay remained jailed Thursday at the Mitchell County Jail in Osage.
MASON CITY | Police in Mason City are warning business owners about scammers pretending to be from a local utility company.
Three Mason City businesses told police they had been threatened with utility disconnection recently by someone falsely claiming to be from Alliant Energy, according to a police statement issued Monday.
Police say the scammer told the businesses they hadn't paid their bills and tried to get employees of the businesses to wire money or give credit card information.
This is a scam.
Anyone who receives unsolicited contact from a utility company, or even a bank, should write down the name and contact information of the caller and follow-up with their local business.
Police say people should not give out personal information, credit card information or wire anyone money without first verifying who the person is through a local contact.
This is not the first time businesses in Mason City have been targeted for this scam.
In 2015, businesses lost at least $8,000 to a similar ruse.
-- Molly Montag
MASON CITY — Some North Iowans are among the many who have been victims of scams involving Craigslist and real estate listings.
Amber Scholl, executive officer of the Greater Mason City Board of Realtors, said thieves are stealing photos from various public websites and posting homes for rent or sale on Craigslist.
“They are scamming money from unsuspecting members of the public,” said Scholl.
“People are sending deposits sight unseen for homes that are not available for rent or sale at all. Once deposits are collected, the ads come down.”
She said some complaints involve people filling out what have turned out to be fake rental applications.
“The thieves have gone so far as to add well-known company logos to paperwork, making the scam seem legitimate,” said Scholl.
She said the most recent scams in North Iowa are properties for sale.
Potential victims are being told to pick up keys from the real estate agent who has the property listed.
“This is typically when we realize someone has been scammed,” she said.
Scholl said the scam has been reported to Mason City police.
Real estate personnel have been urged to search Craiglist listings for fraudulent listings.
MASON CITY | The Mason City Police Department is warning of online scams targeting potential renters.
In the most recent case, a fraudulent Craigslist ad listed a house for rent in Mason City. The police department says a person interested in renting the home contacted the poster, who replied via email they had difficulty communicating by phone and wanted to correspond electronically.
The scammer requested the potential renter send the first month’s rent and deposit via Western Union.
The victim stopped the transaction before losing money.
This is just one of many variations of online home and apartment rental scams, according to police.
Others involve filling out a rental agreement or credit application requiring personal information, which is then used to steal the victim’s identity.
To avoid falling victim to one of these scams, the police department recommends avoiding transferring money electronically to an unknown person.
The department also says potential renters should be suspicious of landlords who won’t meet in person or make excuses to not speak over the phone.
MASON CITY | Police on Tuesday warned Mason City residents to be wary of phone scam making the rounds.
Someone recently called a Mason City resident and tried to convince him that his grandson was hurt in a car accident and then arrested, police say.
The scammer attempted to get the resident to send money, purportedly to get the imperiled grandson out of jail.
Police say this was a scam. The grandson was not in jail.
Officers say the phone number was from area code 661, of Bakersfield, California.
Authorities say people should personal information, financial details or money to an unsolicited caller. They should be particularly suspicious of someone who attempts to create a sense or urgency, or pushes for an immediate decision.
Officials say money lost in phone scams and similar crimes often is difficult if not impossible to recover.
The resident who reported the Mason City scam did not send money, police say.
-- Molly Montag.
MASON CITY | Anyone receiving an email from a source identifying itself as the Internal Revenue Service should be aware it is a scam. The IRS does not do business via email.
Some residents in Mason City have received the fake IRS emails.
MASON CITY | An Alliant Energy-related scam has recently resurfaced in North Iowa.
The Mason City Police Department says phone scammers are threatening disconnection to convince customers to purchase prepaid cards and provide payment information over the phone.
Some variations of the scam call will include call back numbers that sound legitimate.
The police department has received complaints from people receiving the calls, which are usually targeted at businesses.
Alliant Energy does not ask customers to purchase prepaid credit cards or provide payment via email.
One of the keys to recognizing this scam is request for payment in an untraceable format, such as a Green Dot card.
Concerns about the legitimacy of a caller claiming to be Alliant Energy or someone claiming to be a phone or in-person representative of the energy company should be handled by hanging up and calling Alliant directly at 800-255-4268.
Alliant Energy officials insist this is the only number to contact them. They are aware of the scam and say they understand hesitancy by customers to contact them.
Visit http://tinyurl.com/pjpuh8l for more information on how to identify Alliant scams.
Victims of the scam should contact the police department.
MASON CITY | Diane Smith's 88-year-old mother nearly lost $3,000 in the "grandparent scam."
Smith, of Osage, told her mother's story to a group of about 60 senior citizens at Thursday's Cerro Gordo County Seniors and Law Enforcement Together ( S.A.L.T.) Forum at the Mason City Senior Center.
In February 2012, Smith's mother, Barbara, who lives in central Minnesota, got a phone call from a young man claiming to be her grandson Kyle.
He said he was in Mexico and had been picked up by the police and needed money. The caller said he would send a friend over to her home to pick up the $3,000 in cash.
Barbara said she didn't keep that much cash in the house. The caller asked her to go to the bank and get the money, saying the situation was urgent. All the while the caller impressed upon Weflen not to call her daughter.
When Barbara went to the bank an alert teller questioned her about the large withdrawal. She told the teller the story.
The teller gave her the money but had Barbara promise to call her daughter to check on her grandson's whereabouts before giving the cash to anyone.
Smith, an administrative assistant with the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, got a panicked call from her mother. She quickly confirmed her son wasn't in Mexico and told her mother the call was a scam.
Thankfully, Barbara didn't lose any money. Smith called and thanked the bank teller for convincing her mother to call her before doing anything.
"I hope we can help each other prevent these crimes," Smith said. "These scam artists are clever."
Thursday's program also included law enforcement updates from Capt. Mike McKelvey with the Mason City Police Department and Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals.
The forum also featured informational booths for many community agencies, door prizes and a free lunch.
MASON CITY | Police say a Wisconsin man has been charged with felony theft after using a bogus credit card to buy three vehicles from dealerships in Mason City and Storm Lake.
Timothy Lavell Litt, 23, of Milwaukee, is accused of first- and second-degree theft in Mason City, as well as first-degree theft in Storm Lake and ongoing criminal conduct. Additional charges are pending in Milwaukee County.
On July 5, police say Litt presented a credit card to Wheel Man Auto in Mason City to purchase a 2010 Ford Edge for $6,000.
The credit card was found to be not good after Litt took the vehicle, according to court documents.
At the time the complaint was filed -- July 6 -- the whereabouts of Litt and the vehicle were unknown. Cerro Gordo County issued a statewide warrant for his arrest, alleging he committed second-degree theft by deception.
On July 10, police say Litt used a Mexican credit card that was not active to purchase a 2004 Infiniti Qx56 for $10,500 from Deanda Auto in Storm Lake.
“It’s a transaction that went through and they were notified the next day that it didn’t go through,” Storm Lake Assistant Police Chief Chris Cole said.
Litt left a grey Mercedes Benz E500 at Deanda Auto that he had purchased in Milwaukee at Al’s Wheels and Deals on June 29, court records say.
He is accused of using a fraudulent card to purchase the Mercedes, court documents say. The value of that vehicle wasn't disclosed.
Cole said Litt was gone by the time the police department received the report. He was charged with first-degree theft and ongoing criminal conduct in that incident.
On July 12, police say Litt used a credit card a First Credit of Schukei Chevrolet Auto in Mason City to purchase a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan for $11,995. Police contend he knew the credit card was not good.
Litt took the vehicle after the purchase agreement was completed, police say. At the time of the report, the whereabouts of Litt and the vehicle were unknown. He was charged with first-degree theft by deception in that incident.
Cole said Litt was arrested in Milwaukee July 18 on a nationwide warrant issued in Storm Lake. Milwaukee police say he got into a physical altercation with a victim of a similar car theft scam he was attempting there.
Litt was brought back to Buena Vista County and then extradited to Cerro Gordo County Jail, where he is held for $5,000 bond on the Mason City charges.
It is unclear if any of the vehicles have been located.
MASON CITY | The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office is warning about a possible asphalt scam targeting rural residents.
A citizen living on South Shore Drive in Clear Lake notified the sheriff's office that three males came unannounced to the residence on Wednesday, wanting to do asphalt work on the driveway.
The resident turned away the individuals, who left the area in a white two-door Ford Superduty truck, according to a press release from the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the area and were unable to locate the truck or the individuals.
The sheriff's office subsequently received information from the Kossuth County Sheriff's Office advising that individuals matching the description of the individuals from the South Shore Drive incident had scammed a Kossuth County resident by performing substandard asphalt work and charging several thousand dollars.
Anyone with information on these individuals is asked to contacting the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office at 641-421-3000 or their local law enforcement agency.
-- Mary Pieper
MASON CITY | Scammers threatening to disconnect utilities for nonpayment have targeted the Mason City area recently, officials say.
Residential customers of Alliant Energy reported phone scammers threatening to disconnect utility services unless they are sent money with a pre-paid card, the company announced.
This is a scam. Alliant Energy does not ask customers to pay with pre-paid cards or make immediate cash payments.
Phone scams are not uncommon.
In March, several Mason City businesses lost a combined $8,000 in a phone scam similar to the one reported this week.
Scammers frequently use high-pressure techniques or try to create a sense of emergency so victims won't think things through.
Anyone who receives an unsolicited phone call asking for money or personal information on behalf of a business should hang up and call the business back at a listed phone number, officials say.
Scam attempts can be reported to local police and the Iowa Attorney General's Office, which can be reached at iowattorneygeneral.org or 888-777-4590.
— Molly Montag
MASON CITY | Local law enforcement officials are investigating reports of a computer-related identity theft phone scam.
The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office says unknown individuals are misrepresenting themselves over the phone as a computer technician to remotely access personal information.
After pretending to be from Microsoft technical assistance, callers request permission to remotely evaluate and fix a computer over the Internet.
While pretending to upload important operating system updates, the Sheriff's Office says the scammers are accessing personal files, passwords and account information.
Prosecution is difficult because offenders are gaining access from outside jurisdictional bounds, originating from countries like Panama or India.
Police say the fake technicians usually have a heavy foreign accent and will call from a fraudulent or manufactured phone number that cannot be traced.
Victims are advised to disconnect their computers from modems, routers or networks if it appears they have been illegally accessed.
The Iowa Attorney General's Office, which has been dealing with a rash of similar fraudulent activity statewide, has been made aware of the scam.
The public can report new incidents to the Iowa Attorney General's consumer protection department at 515-281-5926.
Other resources are available at www.ftc.gov.
MASON CITY | Verizon customers are the targets of a scam trying to get their personal information.
According to a caller, they received a call from a number which appeared to originate in Barbados. The individual told the caller their computer virus programs were not working and Verizon needed personal information from them to remedy the situation.
A public relations representative for Verizon advised customers to not return any phone calls to an area code you don't know. If you are getting persistent phone calls from the same number, you can block it at no charge through your My Verizon webpage.
Customers should contact Verizon Wireless customer service if they receive suspicious calls or text messages.
— Peggy Senzarino
MASON CITY | A scam involving the renewal of newspaper subscriptions has been reported in North Iowa.
The Globe Gazette has received information that Associated Publishers Network or affiliated entities have been soliciting subscriptions utilizing the Globe Gazette's name, and charging subscribers a significant markup. These notices are deceptive, as they may appear to come from the Globe Gazette in an apparent attempt to defraud or confuse subscribers.
The Globe Gazette has adopted a policy that it will not accept subscriptions or payments from Associated Publishers Network or entities engaged in this fraudulent action.
Subscribers should place or renew subscriptions directly with the Globe Gazette by calling 800-433-0560.
Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Globe Gazette and three other North Iowa newspapers, has sent cease and desist letters to the addresses for these entities and has also approached several state attorney generals, as well as the U.S. Postal Service.
CEDAR RAPIDS | A Palo woman who discovered her elderly parents were spending thousands of dollars on supplements telemarketers said would address a wide range of health problems never doubted she would recover the funds.
"I did because of the type of person I am," Karla Sibert said Thursday. "I'm very determined. That's a lot of money. They can't afford that."
Earlier this year, Sibert discovered her parents, Karl and Marlene Sibert of Cedar Rapids, were being charged more than $44,000 over 20 months for health and nutrition-related products by Las Vegas-based Leading Health Source when her mother was hospitalized. While her mother was in surgery, Sibert answered her phone and took four calls from the company in about 20 minutes.
She then discovered boxes of supplements at her parents' home and learned of the credit card charges.
"When you start hearing $21,500 in three days, you gulp, and then you call another (credit card company) and get $13,000 and $9,000 on another one," Sibert said. "At that point, I needed to be institutionalized."
It was then Sibert contacted the Iowa Office of Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at an Iowa Fraud Fighters event at Kirkwood Community College. She then filed a formal complaint, Attorney General Tom Miller said at a Cedar Rapids news conference Thursday.
He expected an Iowa judge to enter an order Thursday barring Leading Health Source from doing business in the state. The company has complied with his office’s demand that it "pay back every dime to this Iowa couple as a condition of our settlement."
Investigators determined Leading Health Source was aware of the Siberts' vulnerabilities. They discovered telemarketers' handwritten notes indicating Sibert's mother had "memory" issues and her father had "dementia," Miller said.
Sibert described her mother as "simple, but trusts everybody and they preyed on her."
"That's a lot of money. They can't afford that," she said, adding her parents "have no idea of the magnitude of what this has done."
Leading Health Source sold the couple thousands of pills, including Brain Power, Calcium Pyruvale, Cha de Bugre, Fat Burner, Garcinia Cambogia Extract, Green Coffee, High Fusion, Hoodia, Liq-Eye, Marine Phytoplankton, Pure Raspberry Ketones, VitaFuse and Real O2.
According to Miller, Leading Health Source initially resisted requests for refunds, claiming that the elderly couple's extremely large purchase volume occurred because they were "distributors." He called the claim absurd.
Sibert has received a check from the company for more than $23,000 and the remainder of the credit card charges have been reversed, she said.
In pursuing the settlement, her goal was not only to make her parents whole but to protect other elderly Iowans, Sibert said.
Miller estimated about 100 Iowans were charged by Leading Health Source over a two-year period, but as far as he knows, the Siberts were the only Iowans with substantial losses.
MASON CITY | The Mason City Police Department has received a complaint from a resident about a suspicious phone call involving computer repair.
According to a press release, the person got a phone call from someone claiming to work for computer software giant Microsoft. The caller asked the resident for his password, saying the company needed it to repair his computer.
Police said the person didn't give out any information and called authorities after receiving the call to report the scam.
The Police Department reminds citizens not to give out any personal information to anyone they don't know.
— Peggy Senzarino
MASON CITY | The Mason City Police Department is alerting North Iowans to a credit card scam.
"We have received reports from customers of automated calls alerting them of their MasterCard being blocked. The call originates from a blocked number and instructs the individual to key in their card number. These calls are not legitimate and should not be responded to," according to a Police Department press release.
The calls have been made to various customers, whether they have a credit card or not.
The department said calls have been reported in the Mason City and Charles City areas.
— Peggy Senzarino
¨
MASON CITY | A phone scam that has bilked unsuspecting area senior citizens out of thousands of dollars in the past appears to be resurfacing.
An 81-year-old Mason City man, who asked not to be identified, contacted the Globe Gazette on Monday after receiving a recent call from someone masquerading as his grandson.
The conversation began with, “Do you know who this is?”
His “grandson” was crying, claiming he’d been arrested for driving drunk in Las Vegas, had a broken nose and needed $2,000 to stay out of jail.
Although the call appeared genuine, the Mason City resident said he was suspicious, especially since his caller ID read San Antonio, Texas.
He told the caller he would not send any money and hung up the phone. After contacting his grandson, who was fine and currently in Waterloo, he reported the scam to the Mason City Police Department.
“These people are real smooth talkers and have got this down pat,” he said. “My best advice is if you don’t recognize the phone number that’s calling don’t answer.”
Sgt. Steve Klemas said the Mason City Police Department receives reports daily of phone scams, but this particular one “comes and goes.”
“We’re advising residents to never give personal information over the phone, including their bank account (numbers),” he said. “Before they wire money to anyone, they also need to double-check the circumstances for why they’re wiring money.”
Klemas said residents who are unsure of a caller’s story or need to report a phone scam should contact police at 641-421-3636.
MASON CITY | The Police Department is warning residents of a text message scam which claims to involve Wells Fargo.
The department said in a press release that it has received numerous reports from citizens who have received a text message from a source claiming to be Wells Fargo stating “Debit Card BLOCKED because of error---click to reactivate”.
If someone receives text messages such as this, it is likely a scam. People should not reply or provide personal information, according to police.
MASON CITY | Mason City’s Bob Inman told his story Thursday of being scammed out of more than $5,000.
Inman spoke at Thursday’s Senior and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) forum, hoping to help keep other senior citizens from becoming victims.
A year ago, Inman and his wife, Darlene, received a phone call from someone claiming to be their grandson Gabe who was allegedly vacationing in Mexico and landed in jail. “Gabe” said he needed bail money.
The couple sent a money order for $2,656. A short time later, they received a call from a man claiming to be a Mexican police sergeant saying Gabe needed another $2,516 to cover attorney fees and fines.
They sent that money, too.
The next day Inman called their grandson at his home in Oklahoma to see if he got home safely. It was then that he found out Gabe had never been in Mexico.
The money has never been recovered.
Inman said the scammers had their story down pat. They had the addresses where he was to send the money and explanations about the Mexican legal system.
“They had it down like you were in the courthouse in Mason City,” Inman said.
“Gabe” made the couple promise not to call his mother, saying he wanted to explain the situation to her himself. They honored that promise.
Inman said he was convinced he was speaking to his grandson.
Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals said senior citizens are often easy targets for scammers.
He said North Iowa seniors have lost thousands of dollars to email, phone and U.S. mail scams.
“Nobody is going to call you and give you multi-million dollars,” Pals said. “You are not going to get millions of dollars for nothing.”
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild, Pals suggests getting on the phone and verifying it with your child or grandchild.
“People are trying to scam your money so they get rich and don’t have to work. Don’t do it,” Pals said.
Inman said he was embarrassed to have been taken, but hoped that by telling his story he might keep others from being scammed.
“In the long run, they are going to get you if you play along. Hang up. Don’t give them the day of the week,” Inman told his fellow seniors.
The SALT forum was held at the Mason City Senior Activity Center.
Lisa Grouette is a Photographer and Reporter for the Globe Gazette. You can reach her at 641-421-0525 or lisa.grouette@globegazette.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaGrouette
