When you think of "cheating" methods, you usually picture secret messages on social media apps like Line, Instagram, or Messenger. But Japanese netizens have noticed that these sneaky tactics are getting a serious tech upgrade!
Recently, X (formerly Twitter) in Japan has been blowing up with discussions. Many users are spilling the tea, revealing that cheaters aren't just using the discreet message function on the e-payment app PayPay for their secret rendezvous. There's an "advanced" move involving Gmail, leaving many netizens stunned by the sheer ingenuity (and desperation) involved in these affairs.
The original post that sparked this whole debate pointed out that people were already talking about how "cheaters use PayPay's messaging feature to communicate because it's harder to get caught." But then, the poster heard about an even more hardcore tactic in the cheating underworld: **creating a shared Gmail account**, **never sending emails**, and **only saving messages in the drafts folder** for the other person to open and read.
The poster admitted, "At that point, I genuinely thought, these people are seriously powerful when they put their minds to it. It's beyond my imagination, and honestly, I'm a little impressed."
This is a real-world example of "cheating with PayPay," where couples communicate by sending each other small payments. The logic? E-payment apps are supposedly harder to snoop through.
One netizen even shared a "how-to" for catching a cheater: check how much time your partner spends on LINE. If their usage is high but their chat history is suspiciously clean, chances are they're furiously deleting messages.
Most netizens agreed that while the act itself isn't commendable, the sheer ingenuity and determination are undeniably impressive. As one user put it, "When people get serious about something, they break through all expectations." Turning into a secret agent just to cheat? Talk about sparking creativity!
In fact, Japanese netizens quickly pointed out that the Gmail draft trick has a real-world "battle-tested" precedent. Back in 2012, it was reported that a CIA officer used this very method – exchanging messages via Gmail drafts – to maintain secret contact with an extramarital affair for years. Since drafts don't go through a transmission process, they're incredibly difficult to intercept. The method remained undetected until the scandal finally broke.
Beyond Gmail drafts, netizens also compiled a list of other "creative cheating hacks," including the PayPay message function, shared Google Sheets, game guild chat rooms, and some even went so far as to use in-game messaging features in mobile games for their secret flirtations.
And get this: some students have even invented "PowerPoint as a chatroom"! Because all social media and downloads are blocked on the iPads issued by Japanese schools, these resourceful kids figured out a way to "message via PowerPoint." They all edit the same PPT file, using it as a direct chatroom, even allowing for cross-school communication. Some even use it to share games or sneak in playtime during class. Seriously, you gotta admire that survival instinct!
Many netizens lamented that modern humans' ability to creatively evade detection proves just how astonishing human determination and ingenuity can be. When someone truly wants to cheat, it seems there's no bizarre method they won't try.
via： togetter