BEND, Ore. (AP) — Two Oregon teens face criminal charges after prosecutors say they made thousands of dollars selling fake gold bars and Rolex watches online.
The Bend Bulletin reports (https://is.gd/AAzVFe) the 17-year-olds from Bend were arrested in March.
Authorities say the teens made nearly $60,000 selling fraudulent 1-ounce gold bars.
Court documents say the suspects purchased the bars from a Chinese e-commerce site and sold them to Bend residents on Craigslist. The documents show one teen confessed to orchestrating the scheme and using the other teen as a middleman to avoid getting caught.
One victim, a Bend coin shop owner, sold 20 of the fake gold bars before realizing they were copper and plated with only about $1 worth of gold.
Prosecutors are asking any potential victims of the scam to come forward.
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Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com
