Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit against Temu, an online shopping platform based in China, alleging violations of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The complaint, submitted in Maricopa County Superior Court, accuses Temu of unlawful data collection, privacy violations affecting Arizona residents—including minors—and counterfeiting well-known Arizona brands.
“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,” Attorney General Mayes stated. “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 lawsuit claims that after extensive marketing across the United States, Temu became the most-downloaded shopping app in 2023 on both Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. According to court documents, Temu manages tens of millions of shipments annually to U.S. customers through over 80,000 sellers based in China.
The Attorney General alleges that Temu’s app collects large amounts of sensitive user data without consent. This includes precise location information, access to microphones and cameras, as well as monitoring activity on other apps installed on a user’s device—all done secretly. The complaint also states that the app uses advanced encryption methods to avoid security reviews and can alter its own code once downloaded onto a phone.
Concerns are heightened by Temu’s ownership structure; being wholly owned by a Chinese company means it is subject to Chinese laws requiring cooperation with government intelligence agencies.
In addition to privacy concerns, Mayes’ office claims that Temu misleads consumers by advertising products different from what is delivered, faking customer reviews, making unauthorized purchases using customer payment details, copying intellectual property from U.S.-owned companies (including organizations like the Arizona Cardinals and several state universities), charging for undelivered goods or items not ordered, employing bait-and-switch referral tactics with unfulfilled rewards promises, and using forced labor contrary to U.S. trade policies.
“I will not stand by while a Chinese company vacuums up reams of sensitive data from Arizonans’ phones and profits from deception and abuse,” said Attorney General Mayes. “We are taking Temu to court to stop these practices, protect Arizonans’ privacy, and hold Temu fully accountable under Arizona law.”
Consumers who believe they have been affected can file complaints via the Attorney General’s website or contact offices in Phoenix or Tucson for assistance.
