ADVERTISEMENT

With Spooktober finally here and Halloween right around the corner, it’s officially time to start carving pumpkins, work on your costume, and, of course, brush up on your storytelling skills – some would argue that there is no better time for scary stories than this.

If you’re more fearful of not having enough stories to tell, rather than the stories themselves, you’re in luck, as today we’re shedding light on quite a few of them. Scroll down to find some terrifying tales, as shared by the ‘Scary Stories’ Instagram account, on the list below and expand your selection of chilling accounts to scare your friends and family with this spooky season.

Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with a behavioral scientist at the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark and in the Psychology Department at Arizona State University, Dr. Coltan Scrivner, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about why people like scary stories.

#1

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

Thornypotato Report

Add photo comments
POST
Barry
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's the point in getting life insurance for a child?

Beth Wheeler
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just in case they get sick and die or from an accident to cover funeral expenses.

Load More Replies...
Kelly H. Wilder
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought the husband was lying about the child being gone so the insurance salespeople would not call back. Once you are on a call list, you tend to get spammed with spam.

DEW
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Were they both hearing a ghost? I know this man was shocked but I want him to call back and ask if there was another child there. If Robert had passed away why would she call another child Robert and the child not say I'm not Robert mommy I'm jimmy.

Yort
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This would be creepier if it was written in a way that humans actually spoke. Why would you call out worriedly that your wife is on the phone?

Pollywog
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

May not have been the first phone call she's made wanting something for Robert.

Load More Replies...
Deborah Clark
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not sure where you're from but that was a severally normal thing to do in the 70s and 80s in America. Like you were looked down on if you didn't have it and were at least middle class. I remember listening to seveal of the parents of my friends and my parents sitting around at a BBQ and talking about how much coverage they had.

Load More Replies...
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Libstak
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's more intriguing than scary but you would have to play it with complete silence imo as your only other available sense is now hearing.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Just a boring person
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really, hope whoever comes up with this stupid idea get arrested and fired. That is invasion to priorities.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Many people can’t wait for October to start. For them, few things feel better than a chilly fall breeze, a cup of cocoa or a pumpkin spice latte, and shades of yellow, brown, and red all around. But more than that, some people can’t wait for the spooky season’s activities, and it’s not hard to see why – whether it’s a visit to a pumpkin patch or a ghost hunt, we’re here for it. According to Statista, more than seven-in-ten people in the US are, too, as that’s how many are reportedly planning to take part in Halloween activities this year.

#4

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Libstak
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is an opportunity for an underwater breathing apparatus that does not require you to carry an oxygen tank imo, hope someone figures out how to synthetically create that net.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

In October, an abundance of creative individuals start decorating their homes; and their family members, for that matter, putting them in all sorts of Halloween costumes. More of Statista’s data reveals that this year, US adults are planning to spend roughly $104 on Halloween-related items – a sum that was only higher last year (over the last two decades, at least).

#7

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
John Nelson
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm old enough to remember the TV ads reminding people of the danger and to remove the doors from any old refrigerators they were disposing of.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Libstak
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Alot of care shown there. Must be great respect or a whole lot of love by the people applying that.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

While some people love decorating their homes or working on their costumes the most, others get most excited about telling spooky stories; and there is arguably no better time to share them than Halloween.

But those who do not belong to the latter category might not understand why one would want to listen to a bunch of terrifying tales. Discussing what in the world draws people to such content, Dr. Coltan Scrivner told Bored Panda that people are naturally drawn to information about threats – it’s a phenomenon called morbid curiosity. “Terrifying content by its nature provides a wealth of information about threats,” he noted.

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Rachel Pelz
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The murders, a nazi terrorist group. The victims (except the last one, who was a policewoman) were all immirants, mostly from Turkey (one or two from Greece). They were shot in the middle of day in their self-owned shops. I am so truely ashamed to say that for YEARS, German police did not suspect rascist motivation, even when the families and immigrant communites got the message. Instead, police suspected the victims were part of organised d**g crimes and therefore assisinated by some mafia groups, and kept questioning the families about their dead father's criminal businesses. They killed a total of 10 people in 7 cities and only got caught after setting their camping van on fire. The two men died, the women survived and was convicted to life sentence. It is likely that not all supporters/criminals have been detected.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kathy Bates is really good at portraying characters that are just off. I expect in real life, she's a very nice person.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

“Enjoying the feeling of fear is related to one's level of sensation-seeking, which is their predisposition to experience extreme sensations,” the expert continued. “However, many people enjoy fearful situations not just for the feeling of fear, but also for the learning experience that happens when you safely experience fear. Safely experiencing fearful situations allows one to learn about their own reactions to fear and how to better control those reactions.”

#12

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Savahax
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But now he runs a Chinese restaurant called City Wok. That's his "main" personality.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
glowworm2
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If your mirror has a monster in it do not shout. This kind of situation does not call for freaking out. And do nothing that you would not like to see him do. Cause that monster in the mirror, he just might be you!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#14

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He used to babysit the neighbours kids. Also may have had an accomplice. To dig up a grave in the middle of winter in one just one night would be near impossible with the frozen ground. Especially on your own.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

In an interview with Bored Panda, Dr. Scrivner noted that the extent to which a person finds scary stories interesting depends on the degree of morbid curiosity that they have. And judging by the fact that the ‘Scary Stories’ Instagram account alone has close to 75k followers, it’s safe to assume that many people are plenty curious.

#15

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Beak Hookage
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just call it "the hot hole challenge" or something equally stupid and people will be falling all over themselves to do it for internet clout.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Dzessa Golden
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kid’s first name was Tyler. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tyler-hadley-who-killed-his-parents-at-17-then-threw-party-sentenced-to-life/

View more commentsArrow down menu

If you’re wondering who are the most morbidly curious people out there, we took a closer look at that, too, and found that Mexico is the place where horror seems to rule the most; when it comes to people’s screens, at least. According to Statista’s data, close to six-in-ten people there watch or stream horror movies, TV series, or videos. Second on the list is Spain, followed by the US, South Africa, Germany, and Poland respectively.

ADVERTISEMENT

If you’re a big fan of horror stories and similar horrifying content yourself, you’re in luck as we have quite a few spine-chilling topics covered here at Bored Panda. After reading through this list, continue to one featuring stories that wouldn’t be as scary if they weren’t 100% real or browse one of our previous editions on spooky stories.

#21

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Weasel Wise
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get to deal with sleep paralysis as a symptom of my ptsd. It super sucks being trapped in a nightmare, unable to move, while hearing and feeling my husband trying to wake me. It's terrifying.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#25

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
SkyBlueandBlack
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which is why it's believed that syphilis is a New World disease. The conquistadors brought smallpox and measles, and returned with syphilis.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Tempest
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like those £2000 per month apartment units that get advertised now.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Beak Hookage
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read a book about her and the whole thing was just appalling from beginning to end. The kid was being subjected to horrendous abuse at home. Then she murdered those two little boys and afterwards smilingly asked one of the bereaved mothers if she could please see the victim in his coffin. She was also aided by another young girl who seems to have been drawn in by her and who after their arrest acted like you'd expect a child that age to act, crying and terrified. Mary, on the other hand, was eerily calm and told all sorts of elaborate lies to try and get herself off the hook. She was eventually set free as an adult and even had a child of her own.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bec
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No. They were more concerned about overdosing little babies than managing their pain.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#31

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guillotine was meant to be merciful. Before its invention, people were beheaded by axes that weren't always the sharpest. Sometimes it would take several minutes of hacking by the executioner. With the guillotine, one slice and you're done.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Sawney Bean stories are probably made up. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawney_Bean#Sources_and_veracity

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nikole
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty good movie. Make sure to watch it in Spanish with subtitles (if needed).

View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
roddy
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Statistics like this rarely mean anything. I'm reminded of a news report stating that prisoners with surnames beginning with M were more likely to reoffend. Guess where the survey was taken? Scotland.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#39

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hugh Crawford
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So the film she used up during the day, some how got an extra photo on them, taken at night, after it was taken out of the camera...? Maybe update this scary story with a digital camera. Would make more sense

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#44

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
G A
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, who is it then? What have the photos got to do with anything?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#45

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Geoffrey Scott
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it has never happened before or since, ok. My daughter used to sleepwalk when she was younger. She and her husband were staying over once, she crawled into bed with me(wife sleeps in other room), she still sleepwalks apparently, at 36. Had no recollection.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#50

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
G A
Community Member
1 month ago

This comment has been deleted.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#52

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ouija boards are toys, they were first used in hospitals, given to catatonic patients hoping they could communicate.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#53

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
G A
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you try and retell a well known story, at least get the basic facts straight.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#56

Interesting-Scary-Creepy-Stories

scary.stories Report

Add photo comments
POST
Sunsfever83
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So you take a 3 year old outside and leave them? And because you didn't see anyone trying to take him, all is good?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu