A customer claimed a DoorDash driver marked an order as delivered using an AI-generated image instead of actually dropping off the food in a viral X post from Dec. 26, 2026.
The post came from Byrne Hobart (@ByrneHobart), who claimed his driver marked an order as delivered using an AI-generated image of his front door and a food bag that never showed up.
A delivery that never happened
Hobart shared a side-by-side image showing what the driver submitted and what his real front door looked like. The resemblance was close enough to be deeply uncanny, because the alleged scammer knew what his rather unique front door looked like without needing to make the trip.
Hobart wrote in his tweet, "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)." Shortly after, he added that DoorDash sent a replacement order without charging him. "Enjoy your Poke, Matthew! And Janet, I hope the temptations of a medium-trust society do not overwhelm you," he joked.
Soon after, Hobart followed up with a photo of his actual delivery. This time, a clearly fake six-fingered hand hovered over the bag as a nod to AI image glitches. "All fixed," he wrote playfully.
Can DoorDash drivers even upload images, or only take live photos?
As the post spread, skepticism followed, as folks wondered how a driver could submit an AI image through the app. Some people insisted the story had to be fake because DoorDash supposedly forces drivers to take live photos.
Others, especially drivers, pushed back.
@ninamonei wrote, "Everybody talking about how this is a lie because the app doesn’t let drivers upload from camera roll, they have to take a live photo. I’m still stuck on the part where I’m supposed to believe the dasher who never saw your house knew what your door looks like."
Meanwhile, a Dasher argued the opposite. "I don't wanna be that person but I am a dasher," @rippingacart said. "You CAN upload photos from your camera roll […] Also you can get the last dasher’s uploaded photo the SECOND you accept the order. I fully believe 100% of it."
Still, not everyone agreed.
Another driver, @_rattling, fired back, saying, "ok and you're lying because you need to be close to the restaurant to mark as picked up, you often need to upload a picture of the receipt, and you absolutely can't upload camera roll photos as delivery proof."
It seemed that Hobart wasn't the only one hit by the alleged scammer, as @davegorum shared that he experienced something similar in Austin, Texas.
"Had the same thing happen last night in Austin," he wrote. "The feeling was really uncanny, like playing a video game with a glitch."
Hobart explained how the scam might work
Due to the backlash and intense scrutiny, Hobart posted a long FAQ to address the growing questions. He confirmed the incident was real, while admitting skepticism was reasonable. "You shouldn’t trust me all that much," he wrote, adding that internet stories are easy to fake. Still, he pointed to @davegorum sharing a similar story to his.
He speculated that the driver used a hacked or jailbroken phone. According to him, the person could have sent the image directly to DoorDash’s systems or used a modified camera app. He also suggested the image may have come from previous successful deliveries, since DoorDash shows drivers earlier photos of drop-off locations.
As for GPS, Hobart believed spoofing played a role. He said the scammer likely wasn’t near the restaurant or his home. Instead, they could fake the trip, mark it complete, and cash out quickly.
He also acknowledged that the entire story could be doubted. "This is a good attitude," he wrote. He added that DoorDash refunded him and gave a credit, though even that could be faked. Still, he argued the scam required enough technical effort that it didn’t reflect badly on most drivers.
While this case stood out, it wasn’t the only image-related trick tied to food delivery apps. In recent months, some customers have also allegedly edited photos to make food look inedible to receive refunds.
Byrne Hobart and DoorDash did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
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