Woman comes back to life, erases death certificate, commits insurance fraud, neighbors demand money?

The case of a woman in Thanh Hoa suddenly "coming back to life" after 5 years has shocked public opinion, leading to an unusual demand for funeral donations from neighbors. Suspicions of faking her death to claim insurance benefits have angered netizens, creating a chaotic scene.

The shocking return of the "lost" woman

The incident began when Ms. Le Thi Hai, head of residential group 3 in Phu Son (Quang Trung ward, Thanh Hoa city), received an unbelievable request from Ms. Tran Thi Thap. Ms. Thap informed her that her daughter, Nguyen Thi Thu – whose funeral and exhumation had been held by the entire neighborhood since 2020 – had returned and wished to have her death certificate removed. Initially, Ms. Hai couldn't believe her ears, until she met Thu in person. Only then did she realize with shock that she and the entire community had been deceived for half a decade.

As soon as the news of Thu's "fake death" spread, a wave of outrage erupted in the local area. Many people who had previously visited, offered condolences, and made donations felt deeply offended. Crowds began flocking to Mrs. Thap's house to question her, and many even angrily demanded the return of their donations, believing their kindness had been used as a tool in a fraudulent scheme. The local security forces had to be constantly present to maintain order and prevent further conflicts due to the fierce reaction from the neighbors.

Horrifying scenario: From "falling in the bathroom" to a fake exhumation ritual.

According to the investigation by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police, this scheme originated from Nguyen Thi Thu's simultaneous participation in four life insurance policies between 2017 and 2018. After several unsuccessful attempts to claim hospital bills due to non-coverage, Thu conspired with her mother to stage a fake case to fraudulently claim the huge insurance payout. The initial plan was to feign death, but fearing they wouldn't receive the payout, the two decided to choose the "sudden death due to a fall in the bathroom" scenario to deceive the public and authorities.

In 2020, a lavish fake funeral was held, complete with all the necessary rituals, including the participation of the neighborhood funeral committee and the condolences of numerous neighbors. To reinforce the narrative, Mrs. Thap's family even staged a "reburial" after several years of burial. The meticulous planning and disregard for morality by Mrs. Thap and her daughter didn't arouse any suspicion even from their closest neighbors, until the naked truth was revealed when Thu suddenly appeared to request the restoration of her citizenship rights in order to have her identity documents reissued.

The price to pay for insurance fraud.

The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police have temporarily detained Tran Thi Thap and Nguyen Thi Thu on charges of "Fraud in insurance business" through the deception of faking death. Lieutenant Truong The Can stated that this is a particularly serious case, not only violating the law but also corrupting morality and trampling on neighborly relations.

This incident serves as a wake-up call for insurance companies to tighten verification procedures and a costly lesson for those seeking illicit enrichment. While justice will prevail, the loss of trust among the local population remains a wound that will be difficult to heal.