Los Angeles - Brazen fraud: Four men from the US state of California faked a bear attack to scam insurance benefits - but a search brought their lies to light.

As reported by the California Department of Insurance, four people submitted videos of an alleged bear attack in which the interior of their expensive cars was severely damaged in order to receive insurance benefits.

However, the Department of Insurance's investigation revealed that the damage was not caused by a bear, but by a person in a bear costume.

To be on the safe side, the investigators had the alleged bear videos examined by a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

He also confirmed that the attacker must have been a human in disguise.

The fraudsters thus illegally obtained 141,839 US dollars (around 134,885 euros) from the insurance companies.

Following searches of their homes, the suspected group, aged between 26 and 39, were arrested after the bear costume - including brown fur, bear-shaped head, paws and hand tools - was seized from one of the men. They were charged with insurance fraud.