VietNamNet Bridge – A repairer of cell phones in the central province of Quang Nam has to pay VND5 million ($230) fine for a mermaid photo hoax.

The Department of Information and Communications of Quang Nam province on January 12 reported that it would impose a VND5 million fine on Pham Dac Hau, 28, a resident of My Son village, Tam Anh Nam commune in Nui Thanh district, Quang Nam province for delivering wrong information in an article entitled “Quang Nam: Fishermen catch a mermaid," published on the electronic news site quangnamonline.com vn.

The agency said Hau violated Article 64 of a government decree issued in November 2013.

In late December, quangnamonline.com vn publicised a post by Hau with a photo showing a "mermaid", adding that she was taken to a hospital and American experts would come for further analysis.

However, it turns out that the photo is part of mermaid-themed wedding photos of a couple in Hanoi. Hau stole the photo and made up the story.

In Vietnam, wedding photos are taken months before the actual ceremony and shown at the reception. At the wedding, they have a slideshow or video showing the couple's photos.

More couples are seeking different or even unusual ways to capture their happy moments through wedding photos. Earlier this month, a couple in northern Thai Nguyen took their wedding photos as a custodian and prisoner while another couple in Hanoi chose Lac Hong Vien Cemetery to take wedding photos.

NLD