No, a little girl is not missing from Doncaster: Police warning over internet scam

The post has been doing the rounds on Facebook and Twitter for several months, purporting to be based on a ‘news’ story carrying details of the kidnap of a young girl, named in the post as Kate and accompanied by a photo of a sobbing youngster.

But South Yorkshire Police say the post is a scam and that people should report it as online fraud.

A spokesman said: “This has been doing its rounds nationally. We have not received reports of a kidnapping in Doncaster today.”

Under the headline, “Little girl from Doncaster is missing, help us find her!’ the story claims a girl out on a walk with her family was kidnapped by a stranger and driven off in a car by ‘a 40 year old man with a puppy.’

It is not clear what the aim of the scam is, although users are asked to click on a link supposedly showing CCTV footage of the kidnap taking place.

The photo comes from a 2015 viral video of a young American girl, filmed sobbing over the transfer of her favourite ice hockey player to another team.

The clip showing the girl sobbing that ice hockey star T.J. Oshie had left St Louis Blues to join Washington Capitals was shared millions of times.

Anyone who thinks they may have been victim of a scam can report it at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/