The room went quiet when Deepinder Goyal started speaking. Not about business numbers or app downloads, but about something far more personal – fake refund claims powered by AI, and the scars of childhood bullying that stayed with him for years.
In a recent video podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani, the Zomato founder spoke candidly about both. The conversation moved from digital fraud to deep emotional memories, giving a rare look at the man behind one of India’s biggest food-tech brands.
How AI Is Being Used to Fake Refund Claims
Goyal revealed that some customers are now using AI-generated images to falsely claim refunds for food orders. What once required effort can now be done in minutes.
“Give me my money back. Nowadays, AI-generated images are used,” he said during the podcast. “People show insects, hair, even nails in the food. AI has made it easy to turn a perfect cake into a smashed one.”
According to him, these fake complaints are becoming harder to detect because the images look real. A normal meal can be digitally changed to appear spoiled or damaged, and support teams often have little time to verify every case in detail.
Zomato’s Simple Way to Deal With Fraud
When asked how Zomato handles such refund abuse, Goyal gave a surprisingly calm answer.
“Karma score. Pure,” he said with a smile.
Instead of fighting every case aggressively, the company relies on long-term customer behaviour patterns. Honest users continue to get support. Those who misuse the system slowly lose that trust.
It is a quiet system. No public shaming. No loud accusations. Just consequences built over time.
A Childhood Marked by Bullying
The conversation then took a deeply personal turn.
Goyal spoke about being bullied as a child for things he could not control – his dark skin, short height, stammer, and average grades.
“I was 12 years old. I used to be a very short, dark, stammering kid,” he said. “Some of my friends’ parents even told them, ‘Don’t be friends with him.’”
He scored 42 per cent in Class 11. In a country where marks often define worth, that number followed him like a label. But what hurt more was feeling dismissed before he could even finish a sentence.
When Support at Home Wasn’t Enough
At home, his family stood by him. They encouraged him. They believed in him.
But outside, the message was different.
“When the world keeps telling you something again and again, you start believing it,” Goyal shared. “You feel like your parents are just being kind, and the world outside is telling the truth.”
For years, his stammer affected his confidence. Even as he grew older, the fear of being interrupted or ignored never fully left.
Two Stories, One Lesson
From AI-powered refund scams to childhood bullying, the stories may sound unrelated. But they meet at one point – how people choose to act when given power.
Some misuse technology to cheat a system. Others use words to hurt a child. In both cases, the damage is real.
Goyal’s words did not sound bitter. They sounded thoughtful. Like someone who has seen both sides of human behaviour and chosen patience over anger.
Deepinder Goyal’s reflections showed two realities of today’s world – how technology can be misused, and how childhood wounds can quietly shape a life. His story is not about revenge or blame, but about resilience and calm accountability.
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