A pair of 17-year-old boys carried out a scheme using fake gold bars to scam people out of more than $50,000, according to police.

Investigators said the Bend teens bought artificial gold bars online that looked like the real deal. They then sold the bars as authentic to people in central Oregon, according to police.

Investigators described the suspects as "sophisticated" in using multiple ways to conceal their identities and scheme.

The teens identified people interested in buying gold through Craigslist and then set up meetings to make the transactions.