There’s a fine line between finding a loophole and living off one. For two years, a 38-year-old man in Japan managed to pull off one of the most committed refund scams the gig economy has seen, living almost entirely off free takeout.
Reported by the South China Morning Post, police in Nagoya arrested Takuya Higashimoto this month after discovering he’d exploited the food delivery platform Demae-can’s refund system to get more than 1,000 free meals worth roughly 3.7 million yen (about $24,000).
The unemployed man reportedly created fake accounts, ordered food, and then told the app his order never arrived. The company would issue a refund, and he’d move on to the next fake profile.
Investigators say Higashimoto used 124 different accounts, most tied to prepaid mobile cards and false addresses. He always selected contactless delivery, waited for the food to be dropped off, then reported it as missing. Ice cream, bento boxes, chicken steaks—nothing was off-limits. One July order worth 16,000 yen ($105) was what finally raised suspicion.
“At first, I just tried this trick. I couldn’t stop after reaping the rewards of my fraud,” he told police after being caught.
Meet the Man Who Ate 1,000 Free Meals After Exploiting a Food Delivery App
The fraud went on for more than two years because Demae-can’s refund policy relied heavily on trust. Customers could claim a missing delivery without much verification, a loophole Higashimoto turned into his personal meal plan. After his arrest, the company said it plans to strengthen ID checks and install new alerts to catch suspicious activity before it escalates.
Reactions online have ranged from disbelief to reluctant admiration. Some called him “resourceful.” Others pointed to how easy it was to outsmart a platform that moves millions of yen in transactions every day.
What stands out isn’t the audacity but the persistence. It was a full-time routine built on prepaid cards, fake identities, and a surprising amount of discipline. The story feels absurd, yet it shows how easily convenience can outpace caution in the digital world.
After more than two years of free meals, the tab has finally landed. Police say he now faces formal fraud charges, marking an end to one of Japan’s strangest cases.
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