A 38-year-old man from Nagoya, Japan, named Takuya Higashimoto, exploited loopholes in the food delivery platform Demae-can to obtain hundreds of free meals, causing losses exceeding 3.7 million yen (about US$24,000), according to the South China Morning Post. Over a period of two years, Higashimoto placed 1,095 orders on the app and falsely claimed non-delivery to secure repeated refunds, even after receiving the food.
Clever Scam: How a Japanese Man Exploited a Food Delivery Platform for Thousands in Refunds
Unemployed for several years, he mainly ordered expensive meals such as eel bento, hamburger steaks, and ice cream. To avoid detection, Higashimoto operated 124 fake accounts under false names and incorrect addresses. He also used prepaid mobile phone numbers purchased with fake credentials, which he quickly cancelled after each use. This elaborate setup helped him deceive the platform’s system and continue his fraudulent activity undetected for a long time.
His latest fraudulent act occurred on July 30, when he created a new account and ordered ice cream, bento, and chicken steaks. Despite the successful delivery, he used the app’s chat feature to falsely report that the order had not arrived, receiving a refund of 16,000 yen (approximately US$105) that same day. When apprehended, Higashimoto admitted to his actions, stating, “At first, I just tried this trick. I couldn’t stop after reaping the rewards of my fraud.”
Demae-can Strengthens Security After Viral Refund Fraud Sparks Public Debate
Following the discovery, Demae-can announced plans to strengthen its verification system and introduce alerts for suspicious or abnormal transactions. The case quickly went viral on Japanese social media, sparking debate over the platform’s lenient refund policies. Some users criticized the company’s weak security measures, while others remarked on the fraudster’s persistence and clever manipulation of the system. The incident has since raised serious concerns about the vulnerabilities in online delivery platforms and the need for stricter identity checks.
Summary:
Takuya Higashimoto from Nagoya exploited Demae-can’s refund system for two years, using 124 fake accounts to claim refunds on 1,095 orders, causing losses over 3.7 million yen. The case went viral, prompting the platform to strengthen security and sparking public debate over vulnerabilities and lenient refund policies.
