Police have dismissed viral reports of a 12-month-old baby being kidnapped at Batu 7, Jalan Gombak near here.

Gombak district police chief ACP Arifai Tarawe said a similar piece of fake news about a kidnapping case in Kluang had been spread on social media in January last year but had been denied by the district police.

The public should not share any reports without first verifying their authenticity, he said in a statement today.

Arifai said that under Section 233 (3) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, action could be taken against anyone disseminating false statements.

A screenshot of a message claiming that a 12-month-old baby had been kidnapped by individuals in a red Proton Satria at Batu 7 had gone viral on social media.

-- BERNAMA