By Tim Binnall
A Vietnamese woman's viral tale of eerie paranormal activity experienced during a recent vacation landed her in hot water with the law after authorities determined that the unsettling ghost stories were a complete fabrication. The peculiar case of social media fame gone wrong reportedly came about after the suspect, identified as simply L.Q.A., returned home from a trip to the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh Province. Rather than marvel at the breathtaking nature of the UNESCO-listed site, the young woman instead took to social media with a chilling account of supernatural events and ghostly incidents that occurred over the course of her visit.
Comprised of a staggering 37 posts on Threads, the fantastic tale captivated Vietnamese social media users, amassing a whopping 52,000 likes and countless shares and comments. The buzz surrounding the viral ghost stories eventually caught the attention of authorities, who were highly suspicious of the story and deeply concerned that the unsettling account would cast something of a pall over the popular Tràng An attraction and its provincial home, Ninh Binh. When investigators identified L.Q.A. as the person behind the social media posts and brought her in for questioning, her tale quickly unraveled.
In speaking with police about the proverbial paranormal vacation experience, the young woman conceded that "many of the details were unsupported, lacked witnesses, and had been added or embellished to make the stories more engaging." Additionally, digital forensics revealed that phone calls, which had played a key role in her tale, actually never occurred. Having concluded that she had concocted the imaginative account, authorities fined L.Q.A. approximately $285 for "providing and sharing false and fabricated information that caused public concern and confusion." The young woman also removed the viral posts and "signed a commitment not to repeat the violations."