Is Temu legit? Cybersecurity expert warns it's not the bargain you want, coupon codes aside (2024)

FAQs

Is Temu legit? Cybersecurity expert warns it's not the bargain you want, coupon codes aside? ›

The pictures of what you see advertised may not be what you actually get. Online reviewers seem to agree: Cheap is nice, but not when the quality is too shoddy to use. Temu's BBB rating is 2.25/5. Reviews at TrustPilot are interesting, with 38% 5-star reviews and 41% 1-star reviews.

Even though Temu appears legitimate as a business, that does not necessarily mean it is always safe for customers and their personal information. There have been many concerns with how Temu collects and houses customer data, specifically that it stores more customer information than it needs to operate.

The incident occurred in late January and the hacked email account stored personal information such as name, Social Security number, and financial account information. The incident impacts nearly 45,000 individuals. In 2022, the same credit union suffered a data breach impacting 82,000 customers and employees.

There are many people reporting that after using Temu to purchase items, their bank accounts have been hacked. Temu underwent a class action lawsuit for having malware/spyware embedded in the app. It is recommended that you DO NOT USE Temu.

3) TEMU queries information related to files. Depending on the specific Android version, the app can be used to read, process and modify all user and system data: chat logs, images, user content on other apps.

Scams: There is always a risk of scams on any online platform, and Temu is not immune to this. It's important to be cautious about suspicious offers or interactions. It is advisable to use payment methods with customer protection, like PayPal.

Many of Temu's products are cheap because they are made of low-quality materials and manufactured in large numbers. They may look similar to big-name brands, but in most cases, you're buying cheap facsimiles. The company as a whole may also be running at a loss in an attempt to dominate the online retail market.

Cybersecurity experts advise not downloading the app or immediately deleting it if it has already been installed on your device. As of right now, it's better to assume that if you've used Temu, your data is at risk (if not leaked) and to take action to minimize or prevent security threats.

Temu is now the target of several class action lawsuits, one of them claiming that once the Temu app is downloaded, it has access to nearly everything on a user's phone. This lawsuit alleges that Temu uses malware and spyware to collect user data beyond what's necessary for an online shopping app.

Temu may have political influences: While there's no concrete evidence that Temu or its sister app Pinduoduo have sold data to the Chinese government, US lawmakers have voiced concerns about potential misuse of data collected via spyware that was found in the Pinduoduo app in 2023.

Does Temu have access to your camera? ›

Once downloaded, Temu can access almost anything on your phone — the camera, internet, audio recordings, and more — according to one study.

Temu gains access to "literally everything on your phone," and "bypasses phone security systems to read a user's private messages, make changes to the phone's settings and track notifications," according to the complaint in a class-action lawsuit filed in February.

“We believe the lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend our interests vigorously.” This is the third class action lawsuit filed against the fast fashion giant. The first class action lawsuit, filed in September 2023, claimed that Temu failed to secure customers' personal and financial data.

Apple suspended Temu from its digital app store in 2023, prompting multiple investigations into the company's dealings, including an ongoing investigation being conducted by the U.S. Congress.

Temu is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an average rating of two-and-a-half out of five stars. Many recent complaints about Temu on the BBB website say that items never arrived or took weeks or even months to arrive.

Griffin cited research and media reports exposing Temu's allegedly nefarious design, which "purposely" allows Temu to "gain unrestricted access to a user's phone operating system, including, but not limited to, a user's camera, specific location, contacts, text messages, documents, and other applications."

In its report, Grizzly Research said that it suspects that Temu is “already, or intends to, illegally sell stolen data from Western country customers to sustain a business model that is otherwise doomed for failure.” “Temu is estimated to be losing $30 per order.

Temu is able to offer products at such low prices due to a few reasons. Firstly, they source their products directly from manufacturers in China, cutting out the middleman and reducing costs. Secondly, they do not spend money on branding or marketing, as their products are unbranded.

The Third Party Code of Conduct mandates that anyone doing business with Temu must strictly comply with all regulatory standards and compliance requirements." "The use of forced, penal, or child labor is strictly prohibited.