On this week’s episode, we’re discussing the application Temu, which became popular the end of 2022. There’s been a lot of buzz, both good and bad, about whether this app is legit or not because of its extremely low-priced items.
Back in December 2022, Temu was the most downloaded free app on both the App Store and Google play for a few months. Temu offers highly discounted products/items, mostly shipped from Chinese factories and/or warehouses. Not only does the app sell items at incredibly low prices, but users are promoting the app on their social media networks and sharing links to their family and friends to earn points, aiding in the its popularity.
Temu is actually a sister company of Pinduoduo - a Chinese e-commerce giant, which has offered similar deals in China for the past few years as well. The company has found success in selling heavily discounted products directly from manufacturers to low-income buyers. Pinduoduo launches Temu in September 2022 to reach the American market, with the website listing an office in downtown Boston.
Temu developed a reputation for undelivered packages, mysterious charges, incorrect orders, and unresponsive customer service. The company has already been subject to over 30 complaints to the BBB (Better Business Bureau), and has a BBB customer rating of less than 1.5 stars. Melanie McGovern, the director of public relations and social media for the BBB tells TIME “They’re making delivery promises, and people aren’t getting their stuff when they’re supposed to be.”
Temu isn’t unique in all the info it wants to collect from your devices. Most apps collect only the information that’s needed or as much as users are willing to give up, but considering Temu’s ties to China, the permissions are concerning to say the least. In fact, the company collects a lot of personal data and information about users and deploying that data to sell advertisements.
The company collects:
The information you provide, such as your name, address, and phone number, which is considered personally identifiable information (PII).
Detailed information you enter into the app, such as your birthday, photos, and social media profiles.
Your phone or computer’s operating system (OS) and version, your IP address, GPS location (if you allow it), and browsing data.
They also gather more about you from third-party sources, including Temu sellers, public records, social media, data brokers, credit bureaus, and marketing partners. Some users of the app received items for free simply from sharing to their social media apps and family/friends, where others can sign up and the person who shared the link receives points. If you rack up enough points, you can get products for free, similar to the company SHEIN.
Have you ordered from Temu and experienced issues? Have you looked into the data they’re collecting from you once you sign up on the app? Have you looked into the data they’re deploying or selling for advertisement purposes? Share your experience in the comments for others to see. Subscribe to my blog if you haven't already and follow my Instagram, ToBeSecured, for Cyber Security info. Thank you for tuning in and remember ToBeSecured!
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