PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a recent uptick in fake ransom calls.

Detectives said some residents have received phone calls from what appears to be a family member, but when they answer the call, someone on the other end claims they have kidnapped the family member and will kill them if the person does not pay.

PCSO said the individual on the other end shares personal details like their name and address to make the call more believable.

If you receive a call like this, hang up and call the family member back through their saved contact information in your phone. People committing phone schemes like this one are sometimes able to spoof phone numbers to make it seem like a call is coming from someone you know. However, if you call the number back, you’re likely to reach the actual owner of the phone number instead of the person spoofing the number.

Once you confirm the family member’s safety, report the call to your local law enforcement agency’s non-emergency line. For PCSO, that number is (727)-582-6200. Call 911 if you are not able to confirm the person’s safety.

PCSO also said that residents, in any circumstance, are advised not to share personal information or sensitive account information over the phone.

If you have any information about this scheme or believe you may be a victim of it, call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at (727)-582-6200.