An investigator has ruled a woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann is not the missing girl after carrying out biometric analysis.
Social media blew up this week after Julie Wendell from Poland created an account on Instagram named @iammadeleinemcann. She said she started wondering if she was Maddie "a few months ago" after hearing "something" from her grandma.
The young woman is 21 but believes her age could be wrong. Maddie would be 19-years-old now after being born in May 2003. Julie says she has a freckle on her leg and a speck in her eye like Maddie and the McCanns have approached her for a DNA test.
Following the claims, private detective Francisco Marco, who led the hunt for Maddie after her disappearance, says he has carried out analysis which rules out the possibility of Ms Wendell being missing Maddie.
He told Spanish network RAC1: "I have done a biometric search and there is no resemblance to Madeleine's features."
The former director of the Metodo 3 detective agency made clear his suspicions regarding her claims after posting on social media before reaching out to Maddie's family.
He added: "I can think it's a fraud, but I can't say without evidence.
"This girl contacted the police and no one paid attention to her, and she later opened the Instagram account where she now has thousands of followers when she had very few before."
People have taken to social media as part of a trend to show their likeness to Maddie in recent months.
The most recent claims, made on TikTok and Instagram, have seen Ms Wendell comparing her photos to those of Maddie as "evidence" that they are the same person.
She also wrote on her Instagram story: "I talked with someone from Madeleine's family and I will have a possibility to talk with Madeleine's parents tomorrow and DNA test will be done soon."
Just last Friday the Polish national claimed to have spoken to someone who was alleged to be Madeleine's cousin, and who told her she could "have a possibility" to talk to Kate and Gerry McCann.
But none of these claims have been confirmed by Madeleine's family.
Ms Wendell has gained more than 200,000 followers with her bio stating: "I think I can be Madeleine. I need DNA test.
"Police investigators from UK and Poland try to ignore me. I will tell my story in posts here. Help me."
Ms Wendell said she does not remember being taken away and has no recollection of most details of her childhood, when asked by followers.
She said: "I don't remember being taken away. I mean, I don't remember almost my entire childhood."
A source close to the McCanns have reportedly said that they are "willing to look at all leads".
They said: "The family are taking no chances, they are willing to look at all leads. It is important they look at all of the factors, the girl does look similar. There’s no disputing that.
"If what she says is true, there is every chance it could be her. It all adds up."
German investigators believe Maddie - who disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal in 2007 - was killed by sex predator Christian Brueckner, who has repeatedly denied having anything to do with the girl's disappearance.
Despite searches and countless police investigations, the youngster's body has never been found.
The McCanns could not be contacted for comment.
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