A DoorDash driver in Austin, Texas, United States, has had their account permanently removed after allegedly using an AI-generated photo to falsely mark a delivery as completed.
DoorDash, a US-based food delivery service connecting drivers with customers, confirmed the action following multiple reports of suspicious activity.
Austin resident Byrne Hobart shared on X that a DoorDash driver accepted his order, immediately marked it as delivered, and uploaded an image showing a delivery at his front door.
Hobart said no driver was present and the food had not been left outside.
He wrote,
“Amazing. DoorDash driver accepted the drive, immediately marked it as delivered, and submitted an AI-generated image of a DoorDash order (left) at our front door (right).”
After he contacted DoorDash support, the company issued a refund, added account credit, and dispatched a second driver, which arrived within the original delivery window.
Hobart later shared the incident publicly, prompting further discussion among local residents.
One commenter, using the handle @Dave, claimed a similar experience in Austin involving a driver with the same display name.
Hobart suggested the driver may have exploited a hacked account on a jailbroken phone and accessed images of previous deliveries through DoorDash features.
This could have allowed the driver to produce a realistic-looking image without taking a new photo.
While the DoorDash driver app normally requires a live photo at drop-off, poor network conditions or modified devices may have allowed the image to bypass verification.
A DoorDash spokesperson said,
“After quickly investigating this incident, our team permanently removed the Dasher’s account and ensured the customer was made whole. We have zero tolerance for fraud and use a combination of technology and human review to detect and prevent bad actors from abusing our platform.”
A similar type of fraud has been reported in the UK, where AI is being used to alter delivery food photos to claim refunds.
According to a British news media report on 5 January 2025, individuals have manipulated images to make food appear spoiled or undercooked.
Examples include editing a cooked hamburger to appear pink, adding fake mould, making desserts look melted, or inserting images of flies.
Delivery apps such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have reportedly received claims based on these manipulated images.
Experts warn that AI tools make fraudulent evidence more convincing than traditional photo manipulation.
Sarah Raino, an AI specialist lawyer at British law firm Brown Jacobson, said,
“Companies are increasingly reporting customer cases where AI is used to manipulate realistic images.”
Restaurants have expressed frustration as platforms often approve refunds automatically, passing costs to business owners.
Some apps are considering requiring customers to submit real-time photos of issues, but such measures could increase operational costs and inconvenience genuine customers.
Fraudulent use of AI for refunds is illegal under the UK’s 2006 Fraud Act.
The British Retail Consortium emphasised that retailers will act if fraud is detected, stating,
“We are using robust tools to verify the authenticity of refund requests and continuously updating our verification systems.”
DoorDash’s response in Austin highlights the challenges delivery platforms face globally in detecting and preventing AI-driven fraud while maintaining service reliability.
The company’s use of both technology and human oversight allowed it to identify the fake delivery, compensate the customer, and remove the offending driver permanently.
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