Arizona AG sues Temu over alleged illegal data collection, false advertising

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona’s top prosecutor announced a lawsuit against a China-based online shopping giant Tuesday morning, alleging the platform steals customer data and misleads customers.

“We allege that Temu has repeatedly and willfully violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and put the privacy of Arizonans, including minors, at extreme risk,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes in a written statement. “Arizonans should be aware that behind Temu’s low prices and shiny advertising, there is real danger. The Temu app can infect users’ devices with malware to steal their private data while carefully hiding its tracks.”

The AG’s office said the complaint was filed in Maricopa County Superior Court on Monday. The state alleges that the Temu app is deliberately designed to “harvest sensitive user data without users’ knowledge or consent and to evade detection.”

In addition to the privacy risk allegations, the state claims the shopping giant is also engaging in deceptive and unfair trade practices, including the use of forced labor and false advertising.

Specifically, the AG’s office shared examples of merchants selling counterfeit goods of iconic Arizona brands like those of sports teams and colleges, including the Arizona Cardinals, Fender Guitars, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.

Some other complaints the state says it has seen include fake reviews, using payment information to order items not requested, bait-and-switch, and charging for goods not ordered or not delivered.

“I will not stand by while a Chinese company vacuums up reams of sensitive data from Arizonans’ phones and profits from deception and abuse,” added Mayes. “We are taking Temu to court to stop these practices, protect Arizonans’ privacy, and hold Temu fully accountable under Arizona law.”

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