Students in China scam $25,000 from KFC

A group of five students have been sent to jail for scamming about $25,000 from KFC by exploiting a glitch in the ordering app.

Chinese university student Xu discovered by using vouchers in the KFC app, before refunding them on WeChat, he was able place endless orders without paying for them, The Paper reports.

Xu, from Jiangsu, said he was "overjoyed" after making the discovery - and soon began a side hustle selling KFC at a discount rate, and turning a profit.

Xu soon began a side hustle selling KFC at a discount rate, and turning a profit. Photo / 123RF

Xu recruited four classmates to the business, using online software to make sales, and within six months had cost KFC's parent company, Yum, $12,500 (58,000 yuan).

Xu's friends' orders totalled between $1900 (8900 yuan) to $10,200 (47,000) yuan.

The five students were all found guilty of fraud by the People's Court of Xuhui District in Shanghai.

Xu was sentenced to two years and six months in jail.

The other four students were sentenced to jail for two years, to 15 months.