The internet is a vast and strange place. Beyond the cute cat videos and viral dance crazes, there lies a darker side, filled with unsettling mysteries and downright creepy content. You don’t even have to delve into the deep web to find it; it’s often lurking right on the surface. Here are 10 of the creepiest things that have been found online.
10. Out In The Cold
The story of Russian YouTuber Stas Reeflay is deeply disturbing. In December 2020, he was paid $1000 by a viewer to abuse his girlfriend, Valentina, during a livestream. He locked her outside in sub-zero temperatures, soaking wet. Valentina frantically tried to get back inside for two hours while viewers continued to donate. When Stas finally brought her inside, she was unconscious and had turned blue. He continued to stream even after realizing she was dead, allowing his audience to watch and donate as paramedics arrived. Valentina was pregnant. Stas Reeflay is now awaiting trial for his horrific actions [1].
9. r/ControllableWebcams
Most creepy threads on Reddit leave you wondering if they’re real. But the ‘r/ControllableWebcams’ board is a different story. It’s a community dedicated to sharing feeds from hacked webcams, providing links that give users access to random camera feeds. Sometimes it’s a parking lot, sometimes a workplace, and sometimes a bedroom. This is a real-life creepypasta, a gross intrusion into people’s privacy that’s more common than you might think. Time to check your Nest or Ring setup [2]!
8. Nizamul Khan
Nizamul Khan, a popular YouTuber in India known for motorbike stunts, found himself on the wrong side of the law. Nizamul was deeply in love with his girlfriend, but her brother, Kamal Sharma, strongly opposed their relationship. On October 28, 2020, Khan and two accomplices followed Sharma and shot him in the back at an intersection. Kamal Sharma died from the attack. Nizamul Khan and his accomplices are now awaiting trial for the murder [3].
7. 112Dirtbag
Maura Murray vanished in 2004 after crashing her car. Eight years later, a video posted by a user named ‘112Dirtbag’ surfaced. It showed a middle-aged man staring at the camera, laughing, and ending with the message “Happy Anniversary.” The username referenced a quote from Maura’s father, who speculated a “dirtbag” on “route 112” might have abducted her. The video was posted on the anniversary of her disappearance, making it incredibly disturbing.
The man behind the video was Alden Olsen, who was eventually cleared of any involvement. He started a blog about Maura’s case, claiming he wanted to bring more attention to it. However, many questioned why he would pose as the killer, causing further pain to the family [4].
6. Hungry?
A Reddit user, ‘u/IncrediblyShinyShart,’ shared a shocking story on the ‘r/IAmA’ board. After losing his leg in a motorcycle accident, he learned the amputated limb would be cremated and dumped in a landfill. Unhappy with this wasteful action, he took his leg home. After plans to freeze-dry the leg fell through, he made a cast. One question remained: what to do with the leg?
A chef friend offered a unique solution. He and a group of friends, who had often discussed the ethics of tasting human flesh, cooked and ate the amputated leg in tacos with Mexican-style veggies and tomatillo sauce. The poster described the taste as having a “very pronounced, beefy flavor,” though the experience wasn’t the best. Later, one of the guests messaged, “Hey, just so you know, I pooped you out. Sorry” [5].
5. Weird Stores
On the r/TooAfraidToAsk subreddit, a user named ‘u/icemanthrowawy123’ posted about twelve mysterious, identical stores that opened on his street. These shops only sold out-of-date Walmart food and only took cash. The signage was similar across all stores, with slight variations of the town name. The user claimed the stores saw no business but had large staff numbers, surviving longer than previous businesses on the street.
Some users speculated it was a front for money laundering or a food stamp fraud scam. Others doubted the story, as the poster provided no photos or evidence. The user has been silent since 2019, leading some to believe the post was simply a creepy fabrication for clicks, or perhaps, “they” got to him.
4. What Happened To Om?
Om Sayf, a Syrian refugee living in Turkey, gained a large following for her PUBG livestreams. However, on January 10, 2021, she posted a video claiming she was quitting YouTube and leaving social media. At the end of her “final” video, she made a hand gesture that appeared to be a signal for domestic abuse.
Her fans flooded Twitter with concerned messages and calls for an investigation. She has since made videos showing she is alive, though not necessarily well. The situation remains unresolved, with hopes that Turkish authorities can provide her with the help she needs [6].
3. “Ubisoft goes Steamworksm bye bye always on DRM”
A Reddit user called ‘YAYVIDEOGAMES’ made thousands of incoherent, garbled posts, all variations of the phrase “Ubisoft goes Steamworks bye bye always on DRM.” Each post was unique, with bold, italic, and differently formatted lettering. Embedded within many posts were strange, sometimes creepy images, including a handwritten version of the garbled message.
The Reddit community discovered that YAYVIDEOGAMES was bedridden and suffering from chronic pain and delusional paranoia. While in a secure facility and under pharmacological intervention, he made these repetitive posts, either due to his altered state or to overcome his immense pain. The mystery was solved, but the underlying circumstances were harrowing [7].
2. Getting Proof Of UFOs, One Leak At A Time
Leaked footage of UFOs has excited true believers. While not definitive proof of aliens, the footage confirms that U.S. authorities are aware of and study the phenomenon of UFOs, even if they don’t fully understand it.
This is the closest UFO fans have ever gotten to proof. Even skeptics must admit it’s intriguing. Keep watching the skies [8].
1. Hell IRL
The intersection of the internet and real life can be a scary place, as seen in the tragic case of Brandi Worley and her husband, who used the username ‘u/Jasoninhell’ on Reddit. In 2016, Jason sought advice about his troubled home life, including a cheating wife. After taking advice from Reddit users, Jason filed for divorce and sought custody of their children.
Three days later, Brandi murdered their two children and attempted to take her life. She was convicted of the murder of 7-year-old Tyler and 3-year-old Charlee and sentenced to 120 years in jail. In 2018, Jason returned to Reddit to provide an update, stating that he was still mourning but doing better. He advised others to cherish their time with loved ones, noting that the last thing his children heard him say was, “I love you, good night. I will see you in the morning” [9].
The internet can be a source of endless entertainment and information, but it also holds a mirror to the darkest aspects of human existence. These stories remind us to be cautious, aware, and to cherish the real-life connections we have.
What do you think about these stories? Let us know in the comments below!
