Amid the shocking suicide bombing at a Manchester concert that killed 22 people, “fake news” circulators seeking social media fame launched false posts about missing children, gunmen and dead YouTube stars.

A number of pictures were tweeted after the attack of “missing kids”, but some of them turned out to be hoaxes, with people identifying popular social media users and friends among those listed.

One of those children was 12-year-old Australian Gemma Devine, who was safely attending school in Melbourne at the time.

Her mother Rachel woke to messages of panic asking if her daughter was OK. She followed some of the links people had shared and saw Gemma’s image was all over the web.

“Some were worried that Gem was maybe in the UK by chance, others were simply confused and concerned,” she told the ABC.

She said Gemma felt sad by the misleading use of her image.

“We all were just upset for the people who actually were caught up in the tragedy,” Ms Devine said.

As to why someone would do such a thing, Ms Devine said it left her baffled.

“I can only imagine it was an internet troll who either wanted to have experience of seeing their tweet shared by so many or who thought it would be amusing to cause problems for someone who shares images freely online,” she said.

But it isn’t the first time Gemma’s image has been stolen for misuse.

“Since I began sharing images of my life online, people have been taking them and using them as their own in different circumstances,” Ms Devine, a photographer, said.

“But I have never seen it used so cruelly and in a way that takes away from the people who need support in their time of terrible pain.”

My Daughter is in the black hat / Red lipstick. She is safe in Australia. Someone stole her photo.

— Rachel (@sesameellis) May 23, 2017

Tweeting fake news to gain followers

Ms Devine was not the only one caught up in the fake Manchester attack news.

Dude, this photo is fake. I'm not missing. #ArianaGrandeConcert #Manchester https://t.co/tTzkTs0vKz

— Andrea Noel (@metabolizedjunk) May 23, 2017

YouTuber TheReportofTheWeek was forced to post a video overnight, titled I am alive, clarifying he was not at the bombing.

“Some people propagated a certain rumour claiming that I was a victim in the attack in Manchester,” he said.

“I’m just making this video to let you know that I am alive and well and OK here in the United States … and this unfortunately was just an effort done by various trolls and website users … just to try and mislead the general public with fake news.”

Buzzfeed political reporter Mark Di Stefano told ABC News people were making up stories and using fake pictures to gain retweets.

“Those tweets themselves get tens of thousands of retweets because people in good faith think they’re helping and sometimes all you need to do is right click on the image and reverse Google image search and you find it’s someone from five or six years ago,” he said.

“That’s a disturbing trend that there are patrols out there trying to get thousands of retweets off people’s goodwill.”

Media have identified several other false stories, including claims a man with a gun was outside a Royal Oldham Hospital, situated near the scene of the attack.

Local police later confirmed they went to the hospital and after a search, found “no offences”.

Police have attended an incident @roh
Scene searched, no offences and all staff &patient's are safe &well

— Oldham Police (GMP) (@GMPOldham) May 23, 2017

Singer Ariana Grande was also used in the barrage of circulating rumours, with some claiming the pop star had been injured by the bomb.

Users were quick to point out the photo used in these tweets was taken on the set of US television show Scream Queens in 2015.

– ABC