Woman Arrested for Repeatedly Canceling Mass Online Orders, Causing 4.3 Billion Yen in Losses

A 32-year-old woman in Japan faces charges of business obstruction for repeatedly placing large online orders and then canceling them, causing significant financial and operational disruption to a major publisher's online store.

Known as Mayu Yoshida, she allegedly used two primary methods to disrupt the "Jump Characters Store." From October 2023, she selected convenience store payment for numerous orders, totaling approximately 4.3 billion yen, but never completed the payments. Subsequently, from July 2024 to May of the previous year, she opted for cash-on-delivery for over 2,100 orders, only to refuse the packages upon arrival. This tactic alone incurred about 7.5 million yen in shipping costs for the store.

“

I felt satisfaction and my mood improved when I pressed the purchase button before the items sold out because I was stressed in my daily life.

Authorities discovered Yoshida used 238 different email accounts in her scheme. During police questioning, she admitted to most of the charges. She explained her actions were a way to cope with daily stress, finding satisfaction and relief by clicking the purchase button for desired items before they sold out. She denied any personal animosity towards the online store.

The store's management expressed the seriousness of the situation, stating that the "fair purchasing opportunities for customers were disrupted for a long period." They requested strict legal action against the perpetrator.

“

We are taking seriously the fact that fair purchasing opportunities for customers were disrupted for a long period and have requested strict action from the police.