Fake news, online scams spread during typhoon Yagi

On Sept. 7, as typhoon Yagi approached Hanoi, Thuy Hang came across false information claiming that "Hanoi will have a citywide power outage." Alarmed, she quickly took a screenshot and shared it with her residential and family group chats.

Many people, anxious about the impending outage, rushed to cook meals early, while others went out to buy portable stoves and batteries to store power, despite the ongoing storm.

By 7 p.m. that day, the power remained uninterrupted. Although the original posts on various fan pages were deleted, the screenshot Hang had shared continued to circulate in chat groups.

"Even today, people are still talking about the portable stoves they bought because of my message," Hang said. She admitted feeling guilty for spreading inaccurate information but also considered herself a victim of misleading content on social media.

Similar fake posts about telecom signals were also spread during the storm.

On Wednesday, Viettel Telecom had to issue a denial after several accounts spread false information about how to draft a message to access free internet. Some posts added credibility by including phrases like "disaster relief" and "only available for users in flood-affected areas," garnering thousands of interactions and shares.

Ngoc Binh, a resident of Vinh Phuc Province who shared the content, said she "only had good intentions" because she saw that her friends in flood-hit areas needed internet access. However, she admitted she did not verify the accuracy of the information. This reflects a common mindset that contributes to the uncontrollable spread of fake news.

The Ministry of Information and Communications also on Wednesday issued a warning about the prevalence of fake news and advised people to "exercise caution when sharing unverified information."

In the northern Hai Duong Province, 21 cases of spreading false information about the flooding situation on social media were dealt with. On Sept. 10 and 11, police in Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, and Hai Phong—all northern localities—reported resolving numerous incidents involving fake news about "dyke breaches."

Police in Cam Pha City, Quang Ninh Province, which is home to Ha Long Bay, addressed a case where someone posted about "recovering 16 bodies tied together in Cam Pha," a claim that garnered hundreds of shares before being taken down.

In Phu Tho Province, which borders Hanoi, several false claims surfaced about a dam breach and a flood, along with a video falsely describing a rescue operation involving a vehicle supposedly caught in the actual collapse of Phong Chau Bridge earlier this week. The video was later confirmed to be misleading.

According to Nguyen Thi Hong Thuy, Deputy Director of the Phu Tho Department of Information and Communications, people need to be selective about the information they share and refrain from spreading unverified content on social media. When there is doubt about the accuracy of information or suspicion of fraudulent websites, citizens can report it to the authorities to help protect the community.

Thuy emphasized that agencies, units, and localities also need to intensify the dissemination of accurate and official information, enabling the public to access trustworthy sources.

In addition to the spread of fake news, the Ministry of Information and Communications also highlighted the problem of online scams during storms and floods. The ministry noted that some fake fan pages, impersonating organizations like the Quang Ninh Red Cross and the Lam Thao District Fatherland Front Committee, were calling for donations but were, in fact, asking people to transfer money into personal accounts.

Fake news has been rampant during significant events that attract widespread attention. In 2021, it became an issue on the internet during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to fines for many people, including celebrities and influencers, for spreading misinformation.

Typhoon Yagi entered Vietnam's waters on Sept. 3 and intensified into a super typhoon two days later, with maximum sustained winds reaching 201 kph. It made landfall on the northern coast last Saturday, bringing winds of up to 149 kph. It is the most powerful storm in Asia this year and the strongest to hit Vietnam in three decades.

Since making landfall, the typhoon and its aftermath have ravaged the northern region with torrential rains, flooding, and landslides, including in the capital city Hanoi, killing at least 233 people.