Social media hoaxer ends up as fool's gold
The so-called gold found by people in a riverbed in Fangshan District in Beijing.
A man has been placed under criminal investigation after he was alleged to have orchestrated a "Gold Rush" stunt in Fangshan District in Beijing in order to boost his social media presence.
Many people flocked to a river in Zhoukoudian Town in Fangshan to look for gold after social media speculation that placer gold had been discovered.
However, the Fangshan police have uncovered that this was a stunt orchestrated by a 26-year-old man surnamed Wei to increase his social media account traffic.
Wei purchased brass particles online and scattered them in the riverbed of the Zhoukoudian area on September 1. He then enticed locals by posing as a "gold buyer" along the riverbank, police said.
After videos of the incident went viral on the Internet, it gained widespread attention, attracting more people hoping to strike it rich.
Wei's actions severely disrupted public order, police said, adding they have initiated a criminal investigation into the matter, which is currently underway.
People in the riverbed in Fangshan District, Beijing, looking for gold.
