RENO, Nev. -- A Reno woman spent thousands of dollars on what she believed was a real gold bar, only to discover it was fake, according to Reno police.

Detectives in the Reno Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit said the elaborate scam that took place while the woman was shopping in a store on Northtowne Lane on May 5 is similar to other gold bar fraud schemes that have been reported in many parts of the nation, and in many cases targeting Hispanic members of the community.

Reno detectives said the victim, who is Hispanic, was approached by an older Hispanic man who asked if she knew of a female doctor with an office in the area and showed her the alleged doctor's name on a piece of paper. He then relayed a story about an uncle being beaten and robbed in Reno.

According to detectives a second, younger Hispanic man then walked by and was asked by the older man if he knew of the doctor. The younger man said he did not know of the doctor and that he was on break from his job with a local insurance company.

The older man then related a story about his uncle's beating indicating the suspects in that incident had dropped their bag when running away and that police had recently released the bag and contents of gold bars to him. He then said that he needed to sell the gold bars for cash to pay for his uncle's hospital treatment, police said.

Detectives said the younger man said he had a friend who worked nearby who could put a value on the gold bar and then gave his wallet to the older man as a sign of good faith that he would return with cash from sale of the gold bar or would bring the gold bar back.

After approximately 15 minutes, the younger man returned with an envelope filled with bills that he said amounted to $15,000 for sale of the gold bar to his friend, who he reported would purchase any other gold bars for $17,000 each, according to police.

Police said the older man then offered to sell a gold bar to the victim, and the younger man for $10,000 each, because he needed cash quickly and had to return to his job, which would give them a $7,000 profit when she sold the gold bar later. The victim was convinced to withdraw funds from her bank account and obtain other money on hand at her residence and return to pay for the gold bar.

After she returned to the store and paid the older man $10,000 and obtained the gold bar, the younger man told her to meet him later at the store, and they would go to his friend's location and sell their gold bars together. When she returned home, she was told by her husband that it didn't appear to be gold, and they went to a local jewelry store, which confirmed that the gold bar was another metal with a gold colored coating, police said.

When she returned for the meeting at the store where she met the men, the younger man did not show up as planned, detectives said.

Reno police said if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is and should be avoided.

Police gave the following tips for avoiding becoming a victim of fraud:

Do not become involved in unsolicited financial "bargains," get-rich quick schemes or other deals offered by people with whom you are not familiar.

Be aware that con artists will use emotional appeals to play on sympathies by talking about family members they say have medical situations they don't have the money to pay for.

Be aware that those involved in fraud activities often work in teams that can include both male and female members.

Research the situation and the individuals involved before making any kind of financial commitment. Make sure you know exactly with whom you are dealing.

Do not be fooled by documents that appear to certify an offer or are testimonials from people with whom you are not familiar.

Do not disclose personal or financial information.

Never be pressured into agreeing to an immediate purchase or going to a bank or other location to retrieve your money. Never withdraw large sums of cash from the bank, especially at the urging of the people trying to make a deal.