Residents in a Colorado mountain town are being targeted by scammers who claim that a family member has been kidnapped and demand money for their release.

The Rifle Police Department warned local residents of the virtual kidnapping scam on Monday afternoon. According to police, the caller may have a person act as the family member in an effort to force victims to send money or anything valuable.

Here are safety tips from police to help avoid becoming a victim.

• If you receive one of these calls, DO NOT send anything of value to anyone.

• Do not share personal information. The caller may already have personal information for your family member and this is common. The caller may know the names of pets, family members and friends.

Police are advising victims to contact the family member involved in the alleged “kidnapping.” You can also contact the Rifle Police Department on their non-emergency dispatch line at 970-625-8095 for any concerns regarding the scam.

Rifle is a small mountain town situated at 5,348 feet in elevation in Garfield County.