Takuya Higashimoto, a 38-year-old resident of Nagoya, orchestrated a massive food delivery scam by manipulating the Demae-can platform, defrauding it of around $24,000 worth of meals over a two-year span until his arrest in October.
Key Takeaways
- Massive Scale of Fraud: Higashimoto obtained over 1,000 free meals totaling approximately $24,000, averaging more than one fraudulent meal per day.
- Sophisticated Network Operations: He engineered 124 fake accounts using prepaid SIM cards, fabricated identities, and false addresses to evade detection and broaden his fraudulent efforts.
- Exploitation of Contactless Delivery: The scam targeted the platform’s contactless delivery feature by falsely reporting undelivered items via the customer service chat, prompting automatic refunds owing to the self-service friendly policy.
- Strategic High-Value Targeting: Instead of ordering inexpensive foods, he intentionally selected high-ticket items such as premium eel bento boxes and specialty ice cream, with daily refund values reaching as high as $105.
- Security Overhaul Response: In response to the exposure of the scam, Demae-can implemented significant security reforms including enhanced identity verification procedures, advanced fraud detection technologies, and real-time monitoring of suspicious activity.
Takuya Higashimoto’s Massive Food Delivery Fraud: 1,095 Free Meals Worth $24,000
Takuya Higashimoto, a 38-year-old resident of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, has been arrested for orchestrating one of Japan’s most extensive food delivery frauds. Over a two-year period, Higashimoto systematically exploited the popular delivery platform Demae-can to obtain 1,095 free meals without paying a single yen.
The Scale of the Scam
The financial impact of Higashimoto’s scheme reached staggering proportions. Authorities calculated that his fraudulent activities cost Demae-can approximately 3.7 million yen, which translates to roughly $24,000 or €23,000. This figure represents the cumulative value of all the meals he obtained illegally through his exploitation of the platform’s systems.
What makes this case particularly striking isn’t just the monetary loss, but the sheer persistence of the operation. Higashimoto managed to maintain his fraudulent activities for an extended period, averaging more than one free meal every day for two years. This level of sustained deception required considerable planning and execution, suggesting he had developed a systematic approach to gaming the delivery app’s vulnerabilities.
Arrest and Investigation
Japanese authorities apprehended Higashimoto in early October after conducting a thorough investigation that traced the repeated fraudulent activity directly back to him. The arrest marks the culmination of what appears to have been a complex investigation into patterns of suspicious ordering behavior on the platform.
The case highlights growing concerns about digital fraud in e-commerce platforms, particularly as food delivery services have become increasingly popular in Japan and worldwide. Delivery apps rely heavily on trust-based systems and automated processes, which can create opportunities for exploitation by determined fraudsters.
This incident serves as a reminder that while technology has revolutionized food delivery convenience, it has also created new avenues for criminal activity. The significant financial losses incurred by Demae-can demonstrate how individual bad actors can cause substantial damage to businesses through systematic exploitation of digital platforms.
Higashimoto’s arrest sends a clear message that authorities are taking food delivery fraud seriously and have the tools necessary to track down perpetrators, even when they operate over extended periods. The investigation’s success suggests that delivery platforms and law enforcement agencies are developing more sophisticated methods to detect and prevent such fraudulent activities.
How the Contactless Delivery Scam Actually Worked
Higashimoto’s scheme centered on exploiting a fundamental weakness in contactless delivery systems that many food apps have implemented since the pandemic. I found his method particularly calculated – he would place orders through Demae-can’s contactless delivery option, receive the food as normal, then immediately contact customer service through the app’s chat function claiming the order never arrived.
The contactless delivery option became his perfect cover because drivers typically leave packages at designated locations without requiring face-to-face confirmation. This system, designed to protect both customers and delivery personnel, created an opportunity that Higashimoto systematically exploited. He understood that proving successful delivery becomes significantly more challenging when there’s no direct handoff or signature requirement.
Strategic Targeting of High-Value Menu Items
Rather than focusing on cheap meals that might raise less suspicion, Higashimoto deliberately targeted expensive menu options to maximize his fraudulent returns. His preferred items included:
- Eel bento boxes, which typically cost significantly more than standard meals
- Premium hamburger steaks from upscale restaurants
- Specialty ice cream orders that commanded higher prices
- Combination orders mixing multiple high-cost items
His strategy proved remarkably effective on July 30, when he secured a staggering 16,000 yen refund in a single day. This amount, equivalent to roughly $105, came from claiming non-delivery on a combination of ice cream, premium bentos, and chicken steaks. I noticed that this single-day haul demonstrates how quickly fraudulent refunds can accumulate when targeting expensive items.
The refund loophole he exploited relied on food delivery apps’ customer-friendly policies that generally favor the customer in disputes. Most platforms prioritize customer satisfaction and will issue refunds quickly to maintain their reputation, especially when customers claim non-delivery. Higashimoto understood this business model and weaponized it against the very system designed to protect legitimate customers.
His scam method involved timing – he would request refunds through the chat function shortly after the delivery window closed, creating the impression of a frustrated customer who never received their order. This approach likely helped him avoid immediate detection since his complaints appeared to follow the natural timeline of a genuine delivery problem.
The scale of his operation over two years suggests he had refined this process considerably. The e-commerce boom has created numerous opportunities for both legitimate business and fraudulent schemes, with Higashimoto’s case representing one of the more systematic approaches to exploiting digital payment systems.
The Sophisticated Network of 124 Fake Accounts
I discovered that Higashimoto’s operation went far beyond simple food theft—he constructed an elaborate digital maze designed to confuse both the delivery platform and authorities. His method involved creating 124 separate fake accounts, each one carefully crafted with false names, fabricated addresses, and prepaid mobile numbers that couldn’t be traced back to his real identity.
Strategic Account Management and Quick Cancellations
The defendant’s evasion tactics revealed a calculated approach that exploited the fast-paced nature of modern food delivery systems. He would establish these fraudulent accounts rapidly, use them to claim free meals through whatever promotional loopholes he’d identified, then cancel them within days. This quick turnaround made it nearly impossible for the company’s fraud detection systems to establish patterns or flag suspicious behavior before the accounts disappeared.
Each fake identity required specific components to appear legitimate:
- Prepaid SIM cards purchased with cash to avoid financial trails
- Fabricated personal information including names and birth dates
- False addresses spread across different neighborhoods in Nagoya
- Temporary email accounts that matched the fake personas
- Strategic timing of account creation to avoid detection algorithms
I found that his use of prepaid phone cards was particularly clever, as these don’t require identity verification in Japan and can be purchased anonymously. The false identities weren’t random either—Higashimoto appears to have researched common Japanese names and realistic address combinations to make each account appear authentic during the brief window he needed them operational.
This systematic approach to account cancellation meant that by the time delivery platform administrators might notice unusual patterns, the accounts had already vanished. The sheer volume of 124 separate identities spread across two years suggests he understood that small-scale fraud from each account would fly under the radar of automated detection systems designed to catch large-scale abuse from single users.
The sophistication of this network demonstrates how modern digital fraud can exploit the trust-based systems that e-commerce platforms rely on for customer onboarding. His method required considerable time investment and technical knowledge, suggesting this wasn’t an impulsive scheme but rather a methodical exploitation of platform vulnerabilities that took significant planning to execute.
https://youtube.com/post/Ugkxx1HQ2okgjsbOrLhx5b3Vc5qs6T2edG7g?si=4ZdebRxf4ylZSeC8
Security Loopholes That Made the Scam Possible
The extensive fraud operation that netted over 1,000 free meals exposed critical weaknesses in Demae-can’s security infrastructure. These vulnerabilities allowed the 38-year-old suspect to manipulate the system for nearly two years without detection.
Inadequate Identity Verification and Refund Controls
Demae-can’s lenient refund policy created the primary gateway for abuse. The app’s trust-based approach allowed users to claim missing deliveries and receive immediate refunds without requiring substantial proof. This refund policy loophole meant customers could simply report non-delivery and expect quick resolution, a system designed for convenience that became ripe for exploitation.
The identity verification weakness compounded the problem significantly. Users could create multiple accounts with minimal verification requirements, enabling repeat offenders to spread their fraudulent activities across various profiles. This lack of stringent identity checks made it nearly impossible to track patterns of abuse back to individual users.
Missing Alert Systems for Suspicious Activity
Perhaps most concerning was the absence of sophisticated monitoring systems to detect abnormal transaction patterns. The app lacked automated suspicious activity alerts that could flag users with unusually high refund rates or repetitive complaint patterns. Modern fraud detection systems typically monitor for such irregularities, but Demae-can’s infrastructure apparently missed these red flags.
These app vulnerabilities extended beyond simple oversight. The platform’s architecture seemed to prioritize user experience over security protocols, creating an environment where fraudulent behavior could flourish undetected. The lack of cross-referencing between delivery confirmations and refund requests meant the system couldn’t identify discrepancies that would have exposed the scam much earlier.
The case highlights how e-commerce platforms must balance customer satisfaction with fraud prevention. While quick refund processing improves user experience, it can inadvertently create opportunities for exploitation when proper safeguards aren’t implemented.
The suspect’s ability to maintain this scheme for two years demonstrates how these security gaps worked in combination. Each vulnerability reinforced the others, creating a perfect storm that allowed systematic abuse to continue unabated. The incident serves as a wake-up call for food delivery platforms to reassess their security protocols and implement more comprehensive fraud detection mechanisms before similar schemes emerge elsewhere.
Confessions of a Serial Food Fraudster
Higashimoto’s confession revealed the psychological journey that transformed an ordinary food delivery customer into Japan’s most prolific meal scammer. When authorities questioned him, he admitted he couldn’t stop once he began experiencing the rewards of his fraudulent scheme. The 38-year-old described how what initially started as a simple experiment gradually escalated into a compulsive pattern driven by consistent success and substantial financial savings.
The Psychology Behind Habitual Fraud
The confession painted a picture of someone who became genuinely addicted to the thrill and benefits of his scam. Higashimoto explained that each successful fraudulent transaction reinforced his behavior, creating a cycle where the ease of execution made it increasingly difficult to resist continuing. His persistence demonstrated how e-commerce vulnerabilities can create opportunities that some individuals find impossible to ignore.
What made his case particularly striking was the sheer duration and frequency of his fraudulent activity. Over two years, he managed to secure more than 1,000 free meals without detection, suggesting that his methods became increasingly sophisticated over time. The financial motivation proved overwhelming — with each meal potentially worth several hundred yen, his total theft likely exceeded hundreds of thousands of yen in value.
Demae-can’s Response and Security Overhaul
Following the arrest and confession, Demae-can quickly announced comprehensive plans to strengthen their platform against similar exploits. The company pledged to implement stronger identity verification procedures that would make it significantly harder for users to create multiple accounts or manipulate the system. These enhanced checks will require more detailed personal information and cross-reference user data against existing databases.
The food delivery giant also committed to installing sophisticated systems designed to monitor for abnormal transaction behavior. These fraud detection measures will flag suspicious patterns such as:
- Multiple refund requests from the same delivery address
- Unusual complaint frequencies that don’t align with typical user behavior
- Rapid account creation followed by immediate refund claims
- Geographic anomalies in delivery patterns
The company’s response reflects growing awareness across the tech industry about the need for proactive fraud prevention. Similar to how gaming companies combat cheaters, food delivery platforms must now balance user convenience with security measures that protect their business model.
Demae-can’s new verification protocols will likely include document verification, phone number authentication, and potentially even biometric checks for high-risk accounts. The platform also indicated they would share fraud detection data with other delivery services to create a broader defense network against serial scammers.
The case highlights how individual actions can force entire industries to rethink their security infrastructure. Just as persistent individuals can exploit systemic weaknesses in various sectors, Higashimoto’s confession serves as a wake-up call for the food delivery industry.
His admission that the fraud became addictive also raises questions about the psychological profiles of individuals who exploit digital platforms. The ease of digital transactions, combined with perceived anonymity, can create conditions where ethical boundaries become increasingly blurred. Higashimoto’s case demonstrates how small initial transgressions can snowball into major criminal behavior when left unchecked by adequate security measures.
The confession ultimately revealed not just the mechanics of his fraud, but the mindset that enabled such persistent exploitation of a trusted platform.
Japan’s Reaction: Clever Scammer or Alarming Security Failure
The case sparked intense debate across Japan, splitting public opinion between admiration for Higashimoto’s audacious scheme and serious concerns about Demae-can’s security weaknesses. Social media platforms exploded with commentary as news of the elaborate scam spread, creating a viral case that highlighted fundamental flaws in food delivery app systems.
Japanese social media users expressed mixed reactions to the two-year operation. Some criticized Demae-can’s refund policies, questioning how such basic security oversights could persist for so long without detection. Tech-savvy users pointed out that managing over 1,000 fake accounts required considerable organization and technical knowledge, leading to grudging respect for the scammer’s systematic approach.
Public Discourse Reveals Deeper Concerns
The public reaction revealed broader anxieties about digital security in Japan’s rapidly expanding e-commerce landscape. Many commenters focused less on Higashimoto’s actions and more on the implications for consumer trust in food delivery platforms. Users questioned whether other apps contained similar vulnerabilities that could be exploited by determined individuals.
Several viral social media posts highlighted the dedication required to maintain such an extensive operation. Comments ranged from calling the scheme impressively clever to expressing concern about the potential for copycat attempts. The case prompted discussions about the balance between customer convenience and security protocols, with many arguing that companies prioritize user experience over fraud prevention.
Industry experts joined the conversation, emphasizing that this case represents a wake-up call for tech companies operating in Japan. They stressed the need for stronger verification systems and more sophisticated fraud detection algorithms. The public discourse extended beyond simple admiration or condemnation, evolving into serious discussions about corporate responsibility and the need for improved security standards across all digital platforms.
Critics pointed out that while Higashimoto’s diligence was noteworthy, the real story lay in Demae-can’s failure to detect such obvious patterns of fraudulent behavior. The company’s response became almost as scrutinized as the original crime, with users demanding transparency about how similar incidents would be prevented in the future.
Sources:
Gulf News: “Man scams delivery app, gets free food for two years”
South China Morning Post: “Japanese man exploits delivery platform refund policy, eats 1,000 free meals over 2 years”
Telegrafi: “Japanese man took advantage of delivery platform’s refund policy – ate 1,000 free meals over two years”
NDTV: “Japanese Man Exploits Loopholes In Food Delivery App, Eats Over 1,000 Free Meals”
Mathrubhumi: “Unemployed Japanese man uses 124 fake accounts to scam food delivery app Demae-can”
VICE: “Man Arrested After Scamming Food Delivery App Out of 1,000 Free Meals”
Engoo: “Nagoya Man Arrested for Free Lunch Delivery Scam”
