Swiggy Customer's AI Trickery Exposes Refund System Vulnerability
In a startling incident that highlights the darker side of artificial intelligence, a Swiggy Instamart customer allegedly used AI technology to fabricate evidence of damaged goods and secure an illegitimate refund. The case, which went viral on social media platform X, has ignited serious conversations about trust, ethics, and the vulnerabilities of automated refund systems in India's growing digital economy.
The AI-Assisted Refund Scheme
According to a viral post by user @kapilansh_twt on November 24, 2025, the incident began when a customer ordered a tray of eggs through Swiggy's Instamart service. While only one egg had actually arrived cracked in the delivery, the customer decided to exploit the situation further rather than simply reporting the minor issue.
The post detailed how the customer opened Google's Gemini Nano AI model and typed a simple command: "apply more cracks." Within seconds, the AI generated a hyper-realistic image showing an entire tray of broken eggs instead of just the single damaged one. This artificially created image was then submitted to Instamart's customer support team as proof of significant product damage.
The platform's automated system processed the AI-generated image as legitimate evidence and immediately approved a full refund of Rs 245 without further verification. As the original post noted, "Support took one look at the proof, processed a full refund, and moved on," demonstrating how easily current refund mechanisms can be manipulated using advanced AI tools.
Social Media Backlash and Broader Implications
The revelation sparked immediate and intense reactions across social media platforms, with many users expressing concern about the ethical implications and broader societal impact.
One user commented, "What else can you expect from a low trust society? No wonder why everyone in the world hates us, even we hate our own." This sentiment was echoed by another who stated, "This is why we can never be a developed nation where people leave goods on the road, buyers pick, keep money and leave."
Several commenters highlighted the cascading effects of such actions, noting that false complaints often result in financial penalties for delivery partners. One user emphasized this point: "People have to understand that these ecommerce companies deduct money from the delivery partner whenever a customer files a complaint. And here this person made a false complaint. That's so evil."
While some found humor in the technological ingenuity displayed, the overwhelming response reflected serious concerns about how AI technology could enable new forms of digital fraud and undermine trust in rapidly growing e-commerce ecosystems.
The incident serves as a crucial case study for companies operating in India's digital space, highlighting the urgent need to develop more sophisticated verification systems that can distinguish between genuine and AI-manipulated evidence while maintaining efficient customer service processes.
