These Deceptive Pictures Reveal “Food Fraud”

By: Lilli Keeve | Last updated: Nov 04, 2023

We all encounter a food scam at some point or another in our lives. We are being presented with one thing and then it turns out to be something else entirely. Yes, it makes us angry and irritated. Why can’t things be the exact way we want them to be?

It hurts to look at these photos where our favorite delicacies are not what we had hoped. So, let the disappointment begin!

A Scam Involving Jam

If you want to make any food sweeter and more delicious than ever, use jam. Naturally, when you buy a delectable jam-filled snack, you would hope that it’s all there when you open the package. As you begin to open it, you’re expecting to see that gooey goodness inside…

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Source: boboddy111/ Reddit

Wait, there’s no jam and no gooey sweetness. You have been fooled once again by a food scam and now your day is completely ruined. Jam-it! Why did they have to get your hopes up?

More Bag, Less Chip

You know when you go to the grocery store and you get a bag of your favorite chips, only to find that it’s just full of air? Yep, that happens, and it sucks. The chip scammers weren’t messing around. 

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Source: jojo_31/Reddit

Many chip bags are labeled as having 20% extra chips, but, in reality, there’s more air in there than salty goodness. This is a fraud that deserves an award for “Most Deceiving.” Just let us down easy, why don’t you? 

Hold The Stems, Please

It’s a well-known fact that roses are the most stunning of all flowers, but you may have heard that you should be wary of their thorns. This bag of frozen broccoli flowers is truthful to the statement: “Every rose has its thorn.”

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Source: foodieANDcats/ Reddit

Before you open the package, you probably expect to get broccoli flowers with green tops. In actuality, it’s just a thick green stalk with lots of thorns. You are not a happy camper because you were promised one thing and got another. What actually happened to the top of that broccoli stem, though?! 

The Chocolate That Didn’t Exist

You love chocolate and life would be meaningless without it. You are more than excited to give your favorite box of assorted chocolates to that special someone, even if there’s no special occasion. Tending to one’s sweet tooth will make their day.

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Source: RalphiesBoogers/ Reddit

But, you get the box and notice one of the chocolates is gone. What’s the point if the entire package isn’t full of these tasty sweets? Talk about being outright lied to…!

Food Scammers Unite

Picture this: you’re starving and all you want is a nice and hearty meal to warm your insides. You go to a restaurant and are delighted to find that the menu is creative with its dish names. So, you place your order, and guess what happens?

Source: sigaven/ Reddit

The dish is completely different from what was on the menu. That small piece of bacon cost a whopping $6! Let this serve as a lesson for you in the future. If they wanted to pull off a hilarious joke, well, they succeeded. 

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The Burrito That Was Never There

Burritos are a yummy and filling food. Whether you have one for dinner or lunch (sometimes a breakfast burrito, even) it’s a quick and easy option to satiate your hunger.

Source: hanric1234/ Reddit

It’s only expected that you would get a full burrito, considering that’s what you paid for. Yet, in the case of this photo, the person only received one-half of the full burrito they should have gotten. What is going on? Why is it so hard to just get an entire burrito here? 

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Expectations Vs. Reality: Taco Edition

When you think about tacos, all you imagine are shells filled with cheesy goodness and other savory fillings. You get even hungrier when you open up Instagram and immediately see some drool-worthy photos of tacos, which makes you want to get one even more. 

Source: c_pinhammers/Reddit

This expectation vs. reality photo hurts us so badly to look at. It’s a testament to the fact that visuals can, indeed, be inaccurate and majorly deceiving. The reality of what the person received is the result of plain laziness and would make a nacho lover turn into a nacho hater. 

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Not-So-Special Tomato Salad

It’s comical that the dish in this photo was called a “Special Tomato Salad.” There’s nothing special about it, actually. It doesn’t even deserve the name of a “salad.” The only thing on the plate are tomato slices and some onion. 

Source: v1ox/ Reddit

Unbelievably, this dish cost around $7 (which should be a crime). We can buy raw tomatoes and onions at home for a few dollars cheaper and be just as satisfied! Seriously – we can’t even begin to explain our disappointment. 

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The Ice-Cream Cone That Broke Our Heart

Imagine that it’s a brutally hot day and you’re biking to work. Along the way, you see an ice cream truck, and you decide to make a little pit stop for a sweet treat. Because, what’s better than an ice cream on a warm, summer day? 

Source: exotikalien/ Reddit

You are beyond excited. However, much to your surprise, the top layer of chocolate creaminess is missing. You went from being chill to having a meltdown real quick, and this annoying mishap completely ruined the rest of your day. 

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Cookie Lovers Would Not Be Happy

For many people, chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort food. Food scammers, naturally, couldn’t resist messing with your head. The result of what’s in the package is deceptive, and cruel, and would make cookie lovers cry their hearts out.  

Source: Sempaii_rj/ Reddit

The cookies in this image are cold, hard evidence that the scammers are out there up to their usual tricks. Of course, the real-life thing looks nothing like what’s on the package. Are we surprised? Not one bit! These food scammers should be ashamed of themselves. 

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Jumbo? More Like Tiny Shrimps

By this point, it seems as if there’s no end in sight to the food scammers halting their devious pranks. In this example, the package is indeed labeled “jumbo shrimps” and the sticker is placed right in the middle. 

Source: RalphiesBoogers/ Reddit

They want you to think that you are saving money by buying jumbo shrimps at a lower cost, but they’ve fooled you again! Once you peel off the sticker, you’ll find that they cut the crustaceans into two small pieces and hid the missing portions behind the sticker. Stop it. Stop it right now. 

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The Tomato Paste Can That Was Hollow

You’ve heard about black holes, but now let’s introduce you to the tomato paste can hole. When you purchase a can of tomato paste, you would expect it to be filled to the brim. And, by full, we’re talking about taking up the container’s entire space.

Source: GrimmFairyTale/ Reddit

Once again, the food scammers only filled the can halfway on the sides, leaving a giant, hollow hole right in the middle. This will surely leave any consumer angry and wanting their money back.

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A Creepy Marshmallow Clown

If you’ve seen the horror film It, then you know that clowns can be beyond terrifying. But, the particular clown face in this photo might be even scarier. We’ll let you decide. 

Source: MerkyOne/ Reddit

This oddly distorted chocolate marshmallow face sold by scammers would give anybody nightmares. The deranged clown in the package looks not only inedible but just plain gross. And, it looks nothing like the boy pictured. What’s funny is that the buyer seems to have found it quite amusing!

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These Hearts Are Deceiving

For somebody searching for connection, these little candy hearts probably aren’t the best idea. The lack of words printed on these ordinary-looking hearts is breaking our hearts. If there was a glitch with the processing, we blame the unruly food scammers for this travesty.

Source: I-have-a-pet-dragon/ Reddit

If you are looking for bottled-up conversation hearts, you should open the box first and make sure there are actual words of love on them. The person who received them was probably really sad and felt unfulfilled. 

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An Empty And Hopeless Wrap

In our busy daily lives, people are always rushing. When you don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning, you just grab something on the way. Luckily, there’s a breakfast wrap calling your name before you get to work. 

Source: Scared_of_moths/ Reddit

You need some sustenance in your tummy to prepare you for a long workday. Sadly, much to no avail, there is literally no food in the wrap. The scammers with this particular food scam really did a number on you (and ruin your day in the process). 

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The Ultimate Popcorn Con

If you’re planning on binging your favorite television series, you must have some extra-buttery popcorn while you watch. So, you should probably double-check what you’re buying because, if there’s anything to have learned by now, it’s that you should never trust any packaged food. 

Source: MissGymlow/ Reddit

This empty popcorn tub had a tiny bag of popcorn on top – the ultimate food scam. The food scammers should be really ashamed of themselves for doing this to yet another buyer. Oh wait, that’s right, they don’t care!

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No Beef Jerky…Just Box

The food scammers of the nation really went for it this time. They had the genius idea of putting beef jerky in a box, which was mostly just…box. For all of you beef jerky fans out there, we’re so sorry about this one. 

Source: PeckishPuffing41/ Reddit

The scammers made the bold decision to limit the arrangement of beef jerky to only the sides of the box. Next time you buy a box of jerky, make you should think twice and definitely take a peek before purchasing. 

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Can You Say Scam-wich?

Probably the easiest food to make is a sandwich. You simply take some slices of cheese, a meat of your choosing, and some other toppings, and it’s ready to be consumed. Even though it’s pretty fast to make, sometimes you want to get one from the store.

Source: rangersmetsjets/ Reddit

Well, folks, we have a scam-wich on our hands. As you can see, the alleged sandwich boasts a good amount of ham, but once you actually unwrap it, that’s where the disappointment starts. There’s a measly slice of cheese and ham. Ugh!

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Oreo Ice Cream With No Oreos

Ice cream is one of those treats that will always be good no matter what time of day or year. Whether you’re happy or sad, ice cream is there for you. When you combine this chilled goodness with Oreos, you will feel as if you’re in heaven. 

Source: Krystaphonix/ Reddit

No, you can’t enjoy this because the food scammers refuse you to feel any happiness. The ice cream box shows ice cream with Oreo chunks inside of it, but that’s not the case in actuality. 

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A Sad Birthday Surprise

It’s no shock that birthdays are supposed to be full of surprises, and, hopefully, they’re pleasant ones. Having a cake is the usual move and is an essential part of your birthday experience and it should only be perfect! The thing that’s not a surprise is that food scammers are looking to put a damper on your day. 

Source: Anger_Puss/ Reddit

This Frozen birthday cake appears as if it’s nicely layered with soft and creamy fillings. Sadly, it’s stuffed with styrofoam. Happy birthday, indeed! Come on, can’t the scammers just let someone enjoy their birthday for once? 

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A Spice Container In Disguise

Spices are an essential part of most meals and are a staple in the kitchen. So, when it comes time to buy more you would only hope that the container would be full of your favorite spice.

Source: doomstereu/ Reddit

Wrong! This is a clear example of a disguised spice container scammer who covered the upper half of the bottle with a sticker. Their intention was to hide the fact that it was really half empty, and when the person turned it upside down, they must have been infuriated. At least they checked first before buying it! 

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The Ultimate Bagel Sandwich Scam

The holy grail for foodies is delis, without a doubt. Bagel sandwiches, too, are the ultimate comfort food and are typically full of delicious fillings and toppings. Cream cheese, avocado, veggies, you name it. 

Source: devilslilsis/ Reddit

When you grab that bagel sandwich, you’d only expect it to be as cheesy and mouth-wateringly good as it looked behind the display. But, much to your disappointment, it only has a little cream cheese, one cucumber, one tomato, and some lettuce. What a bummer. 

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That Bagel With One Raisin In It

If you buy bagels from the store and the outside says it’s a “Raisin Bagel,” you will likely believe it. So, when you open it and there’s a bagel with only a single raisin in it, you probably shouldn’t have been too surprised. After all, food scammers are always scamming. 

Source: amyriads/ Reddit

The naughty scammers must have been thrilled to trick you into thinking the bagel would have an abundance of raisins in it! Yeah, ok. We have been fooled…yet again. Blame the false advertising. 

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Fish And Onions

Oh, so you thought you saw the worst of the food scams? This is by far the grossest one. Up to their usual tricks, the scammers tried to make us think that we would be eating a luxurious form of fresh silvery fish. 

Source: Konrad05/ Reddit

Just kidding! The filling was comprised of white onions on the inside and fish on the outside. They clearly got us with the fake advertising and were up to their old ways. Does it ever end? No, it doesn’t. 

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Only Two Sprinkles Were On This Donut

We probably get excited when we hear the words “Dunkin’ Donuts.” We immediately think about all of the sugary and tasty donuts that are calling our name. Sadly, not every location lives up to its name, reputation, or promise.

Source: NewmanBiggio/ Reddit

The store is famous for its colorful donuts topped with a wonderful amount of sprinkles. But, this particular donut in the image has a measly two sprinkles on it. This makes us not want to go back again, honestly! Or, maybe we will order something different next time. 

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A Blueberry Muffin…With No Blueberries?

We’re having flashbacks to the raisin bagel incident, but this time it’s with a blueberry muffin. Scammers have perfected the technique of deceiving buyers with false advertising. It’s time that we start to not underestimate what they are capable of doing (and getting away with). 

Source: MKorostoff/ Reddit

A blueberry muffin, according to this particular scammer, means a muffin with only one blueberry inside of it. If you expect something different, you will just be disappointed. Unfortunately, you will have to get a sweet treat somewhere else. 

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Garlic Bread That Doesn’t Even Have Garlic On It

If you don’t like garlic bread, then we’re not sure what to tell you. It’s literally the most savory and amazing thing out there. This person decided to buy it in package form, and the last thing on their minds would be to see chips in the bag.

Source: Eugene135/ Reddit

Yeah, the food scammers really got us here. It’s just a bag of chips that look very sad and very yellow. They should be ashamed of themselves that this was even put on the shelves at a supermarket. 

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Jolly Ranchers That Are Not-So-Jolly

Ok, food scammers, this one was plain cruel! These deviants made the choice to fill half of the mug with styrofoam instead of Jolly Ranchers. The fact that they even decorated it with nice ribbons to make it more tempting for customers to purchase is heartless. These scammers have mastered their craft. 

Source: nate_oi/ Reddit

The scammers might find this funny, but the jokes on them. The buyers are going to wise up before buying anything else from now on. Scammers beware! 

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Avocado Nigiri Dish Minus Nigiri

This dish is supposed to have avocado nigiri but the scammers got their hands on this one. It’s clear as day that the plate only has avocados and no nigiri. If we were the people who took the photo, we would have sent it back right away. 

Source: tourist/ Reddit

Cutting avocados and putting them on a plate doesn’t justify the name of the actual dish. It’s upsetting that’s what happened. This is a prime example of carelessness and you should definitely ask before you place your order. 

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Where's The Missing Piece of Chocolate?

So an unsuspecting chocolate lover was tricked into buying a packet of five-piece chocolates. On opening the pack, there were just four pieces found. These chocolates have always had five pieces. 

Source: Greenlung/Reddit

If the buyer had thought the omission was an error, something else would clear the doubts. There was a paper piece in the box posing as the fifth piece of chocolate. It looked like a deliberate attempt to keep one piece back. 

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A Single Blueberry Granola

The granola packaging read “blueberry granola.” But how was the buyer going to know that they were going to keep to their word this time? The granola used to come with a lot more blueberries. 

Source: Reddit

This blueberry is probably feeling sad from loneliness. It’s never easy being the only one of your kind and surrounded by an army of different people. On their part, the producers should make up their mind if they are sticking to the literal meaning of blueberry granola, or this was just a one-off thing. 

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When the Peach in Peach Juice is Silent

When you buy a bottle of peach juice, the least you expect is to see the word “peach” somewhere in the ingredient list. This consumer was shocked to find it missing from the list. 

Source: SirPeanutTheButter/Reddit

If it’s peach juice, then why is the peach silent? Maybe it’s made of natural flavors, in which case it could exclude peaches and include just about anything. But if the bottle says peach juice, then we expect actual peach juice. 

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King Size Pot Noodle – Or Pawn-Size?

King-size pot noodles shouldn’t be called such if it doesn’t come with the equivalent size content. When this internet user opened a king-size noodle pot, they weren’t expecting to see a baby size amount of noodles just enough to cover the base of the pot. 

Source: GapSweet3100/Reddit

It could have happened due to machine error or maybe just the handwork of the most mischievous staff ever. The seal had some words of advice and a hashtag for the buyer. Just make it. 

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This Ice Cream Delivered on the Ice But Not the Cream

Ice Cream should be exactly what it suggests. Ice and cream. But the producers were probably so preoccupied with delivering on the ice part, that they forgot the cream. 

Source: T1gerAc3/Reddit

This picture, posted by the buyer, is pretty hilarious. The whole inside was just an ice block. It would have been difficult to know before having a taste because the brown exterior of the “ice cream” looked quite the part. 

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