Is Temu Safe?

Whether you already use Temu or plan to do so soon, you need to know: Is Temu safe? 

Below, we explain whether Temu is: 

• Safe to shop on. 
• Good for privacy. 

We also look at some steps you can take to improve both your safety and privacy when using this online service. 

What Is Temu?

Temu is an online marketplace owned by the e-commerce company PDD Holdings. It is best known for selling discounted consumer goods (including clothing and tech) shipped directly from China to consumers all over the world. Temu has been compared to platforms like AliExpress, Wish, and Shein. 

The company launched in the US in 2022 and the following year in countries including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. As of today, Temu also operates in Latin America and South Africa. 

Although Temu is popular due to its extensive product range and low prices, it has received a ton of criticism for everything ranging from product quality and delivery issues to user data handling. 

Is Temu Safe? 

Temu is safe in the sense that if you order items from it, you’ll likely receive them. 

We say “likely” because, if you look at review sites, you will see complaints of delays and missing orders (though Temu does promise compensation for late deliveries). The quality of items is also questionable. It’s generally advised to keep away from electronics and other big-ticket items. 

As of this writing, Temu is not Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited and gets a 2.5/5 rating on the BBB site. The BBB has received hundreds of complaints about Temu. 

Is Temu Private? 

Temu has received criticisms over privacy. 

According to some reports, the Temu shopping app is spyware that exfiltrates huge amounts of data without users’ knowledge or consent. 

This isn’t the first app owned by PDD that has come under fire. 

Previously, security and privacy researchers raised concerns about Temu’s sister app Pinduoduo. According to CNN, the app had “taken violations of privacy and data security to the next level.”

In particular, the Pinduoduo app was found to be able to: 

• Escalate its privileges to access more data than it’s supposed to have, including “download without notification.” 
• Stop itself from being uninstalled. 
• Track user activity on other shopping apps. 

After the above became public knowledge, Pinduodo allegedly disbanded the team that worked on the app’s capabilities. Some team members were transferred to Temu instead, where they were supposedly assigned to different departments, like marketing. 

There are currently two class action lawsuits against Temu. 

To (supposedly) quell talk of Chinese government interference, PDD Holdings (Temu’s parent company) moved its legal domicile to Ireland, and Temu relocated to Boston. 

Now, for Temu’s privacy policy – it’s not great. 

Temu collects a lot of information about users, including from third-party sources like social media, public records, and data brokers. As President and CEO of Chicago BBB Bernas Steve said when speaking to CBS News, “They build a file on you.” 

Common Sense Privacy Program, a project that evaluates services for children, gives Temu’s Privacy Policy a “Warning” rating. In other words, Temu does not meet the project’s recommendations for privacy and security practices.  

You can watch an attorney read Temu’s privacy policy here or see Temu’s privacy policy for yourself.

Something to note is that apps are terrible for your privacy in general because they tend to collect a lot more data than they need to function. 

As Ian Garland says in an article for Comparitech, companies like eBay and Amazon collect equally as much information about their users as Temu does. 

That said, he also points out that some Chinese firms have helped the Chinese government with surveillance and that Apple previously removed the app from its store due to misleading privacy labels. What’s more, Temu’s code appears to be especially difficult to analyze. 

How to Improve Your Safety and Privacy On Temu

Follow the below steps for a safer and more private experience on Temu. 

• Don’t download the Temu app. Apps are known for having less privacy than websites. Rather than shopping on the Temu app, stick to the website. 
• Don’t share personal information. Create a new email address or use a masked email address when signing up for Temu. Whatever you do, don’t log in using an existing social media account, and don’t link other accounts to it. Consider also misspelling your name and not uploading a profile picture. Temu gets additional information about users from third parties like data brokers, so the less data they have on you, the harder it will be for them to fill in the gaps. 
• Use a prepaid credit card. To avoid having to give Temu your bank details or PayPal address, use a prepaid credit card or a masked card. 
• Review seller feedback. Before you buy from Temu, check out seller reviews. Beware sellers that significantly undercharge for items. 
• Use a strong password. The longer and more complex the password, the less likely it is that someone will be able to take over your account. Make sure you don’t reuse this password anywhere else. Criminals know people do this and will try to log into other accounts with hacked or leaked credentials. 
• Follow the news. Temu hasn’t been around for all that long. By following the news about the company, you can know immediately when there are new scandals. 
• Go to the site through your browser. Don’t click on email links, social media posts, or ads. To avoid malware, always go to the website (https://www.temu.com) via your browser. 
• Enable 2FA. Temu has SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA), which you should enable. Although SMS-based 2FA isn’t the best, it’s better than protecting your account with only a password. 
• Use a P.O. box. If you don’t want to share your home address with Temu, consider getting your items shipped to a P.O. box.