(MSC News)--It's a new take on an old scam, but authorities say victims claim it's grown more realistic, and personally terrifying, in its latest form, with callers demanding ransom money for the safe return of family members. 

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant says the scam is beginning to make its way across the local region. "It's kind of a concern, usuallly, when scams like that are around in the area, then usually it ends up here at some point."

Authorities, such as Merchant, are working to warn residents to not fall for the trickery, should such a phone call be received. "[The caller] said that some family members had been kidnapped, and that they wanted ransom money, and they had people's names. They were pretty accurate on the information. What that does is, that escalates it to a higher level, actually makes it more of a criminal act when people are alluding to the fact they have family members or friends kidnapped. That's a huge issue criminally."

According to KSNT-TV, the scam has been verified by Riley County authorities who say, in a news release, they've received reports of such phone calls being received in that jurisdiction, including the city of Manhattan. 

Anyone who receives such a call is encouraged to not panic, despite the claims made by the caller, and to instead notify law enforcement immediately. 

There are not yet any immediate local area confirmations of the scam, with Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, for one, saying his office has not yet received any reports of local residents being targeted.