A 38-year-old man from Nagoya, Japan, managed to exploit a loophole in a popular food delivery app and received meals worth $24,000 (approximately Rs. 6.8 million) without paying a single yen.
Authorities said the man, identified as Takuya Higashimoto, abused a refund glitch in the Demae-can delivery platform. Over a span of two years, he placed 1,095 orders, repeatedly claiming that his food had not been delivered — even after receiving it — to secure refunds while keeping the meals.
Investigators revealed that Higashimoto, who has been unemployed for several years, ordered high-end food items and operated under 124 fake names linked to false addresses. To maintain anonymity, he allegedly used prepaid mobile phone cards registered with fake information, cancelling them immediately after use.
Japanese police have launched an inquiry into how the suspect was able to exploit the system for such an extended period. The case has also prompted Demae-can to review its refund policy and tighten verification measures to prevent future misuse.