Is Temu legit? What you need to know before shopping

Sites like Wish and AliExpress offer low-cost shopping for items we may (or may not) need. But what about Temu? Since its 2022 launch, Temu has skyrocketed in popularity, reaching over 80 million active users by September 2023 — surpassing Wish’s user base, despite being a relatively new ecommerce player.

However, this rapid growth comes with serious concerns. Critics have raised red flags about Temu’s data collection practices, potential indirect links to forced labor, and allegations related to counterfeit goods. These issues may leave you questioning the platform’s legitimacy.

Read on to explore Temu’s background, safety concerns, and practical tips for protecting yourself while shopping.

What is Temu?

Temu is a digital marketplace offering a wide range of products, including electronics, clothing, and household items. Many of these goods are unbranded and shipped directly from manufacturers, allowing them to be priced lower than similar items on platforms like Amazon.

The platform is owned by PDD Holdings, also known for its connection to Pinduoduo, and is headquartered in China. This enables Temu to leverage lower production costs and benefit from economies of scale. Its logistics network allows the company to ship products internationally while maintaining competitive prices.

Is Temu safe to buy from?

Temu is generally considered safe to buy from — it offers real products, competitive pricing, and a broad inventory. However, because it relies heavily on third-party sellers, shopping on the platform can come with risks. Product quality can be inconsistent, and in some cases, listings can be outright scams.

For instance, some users have reported receiving low-quality or counterfeit items. In March 2025, experts identified fake car seats on both Temu and Amazon that failed to meet U.S. safety standards, using substandard materials that posed serious risks to consumers.

Beyond product concerns, Temu’s data practices have also drawn scrutiny. A lawsuit alleges that Pinduoduo, the parent company behind Temu, deliberately embedded malware and spyware into its apps. While these legal proceedings are ongoing as of the publication of this article, they have raised serious alarms about the platform’s security and trustworthiness.

National security concerns have also entered the conversation. In 2024, 21 U.S. attorneys general called for an investigation into Temu’s operations and possible ties to the Chinese government. Their inquiries resulted in an interim report outlining various unresolved concerns.

What data does Temu collect about you?

Temu’s privacy policy states that they collect data from various sources, including your device, profiles, and communications. If you sign up using third-party services like Google, Temu can even collect information from those profiles.

Here’s a breakdown of the types of data they collect:

• Account and profile information: Temu collects your phone number, email address, and login credentials. If you sign up with Google, they also get your profile photo and username.
• Purchase history: Temu collects data from your orders, including payment details like your credit card number and billing address, and information related to the purchase itself, such as sizing details when you buy clothing.
• Customer support activity: Temu can record communications you have with the customer service team. Content collected from the chat includes text, images, video, audio, or attached documents.
• User-generated content: Temu’s team collects product reviews and all content users share, such as any product videos, pictures, and text.
• Promotion and event participation: Temu collects data from contest participation forms.
• Device data: Temu may be able to see information about the device you’re using to access the platform, including its model, operating system, and language settings.
• Service usage information: Temu collects information on the pages you view, the items in your shopping cart, and how you navigate the app. This information is part of your digital footprint, tracking how you reach the site and where you go.
• Location data: Temu may be able to approximate your location based on the IP address you use to access the app or site.

While Temu doesn’t sell your information like a data broker, it shares it with affiliates, subsidiaries, service providers, and third-party advertising companies. Understanding what data is collected and how it is used can help you decide whether you’re comfortable using the app.

Does Temu steal your information?

There’s no definitive proof that Temu steals your information. However, several class action lawsuits regarding information usage have been made against Temu, and at least one claims they share private information with unauthorized parties.

Some experts have made particularly bold claims regarding how Temu handles data.

Beyond concerns about unauthorized data use, Temu’s privacy policy explicitly allows it to collect a wide range of personal information. And only 20 U.S. states currently have comprehensive data protection laws that might restrict this kind of collection, meaning privacy-conscious consumers need to seek other ways to safeguard their information.

Norton AntiTrack limits the amount of information websites, like online marketplaces, can collect about you. By creating secure email aliases, blocking ad trackers, and disguising your digital fingerprint, this cutting-edge privacy tool makes it harder for companies to profile you, target you with ads, or trace your every click.

What are the risks of shopping on Temu?

Shopping on Temu comes with risks like encountering counterfeit or low-quality products, unclear return policies, and long shipping times. Privacy concerns over data collection and reports of possible links to forced labor in its supply chains have also raised ethical and legal questions about the platform’s overall trustworthiness.

Poor customer service

Temu’s Trustpilot score is 2.5 out of 5 stars, which is below average and reflects widespread customer dissatisfaction. Many users cite issues with the platform’s automated customer service, describing it as unhelpful or dismissive. Others report frustration with the reliability of Temu’s support team, often noting delayed responses or a lack of resolution to their concerns.

Here’s one Trustpilot review containing a negative customer service experience:

Product quality and safety

Some customers report questionable product quality, accuracy, and safety on Temu, raising doubts about the platform’s reputation. Items are often described as flimsy or poorly made, with some falling apart after just one use. Others cite instances of false advertising, receiving products that lack the features or functionality promised on the listing page.

There are also frequent complaints about products arriving damaged, often due to insufficient packaging. While this experience has drawn comparisons to brushing scams, where unsolicited, low-value goods are sent to boost seller ratings, the issues on Temu appear to stem more from inadequate quality control than deliberate fraud.

Here’s a quote describing one Temu customer experience:

Shipping times and delays

Because Temu ships from China, delivery typically takes around two weeks. However, extended shipping delays are common, with some customers reporting wait times of several months. There are also claims that Temu modifies estimated delivery dates after orders are placed, leading to frustration and confusion about actual arrival times.

Here’s a review outlining one customer’s shipping frustrations:

Indirectly supporting forced labor

Interim findings from 2023 by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) suggest that Temu’s supply chain may be “contaminated with forced labor.” If these allegations are accurate, shoppers using Temu could be unknowingly contributing to or supporting unethical labor practices.

The Committee’s claims stem from its interim report on Fast Fashion, which highlights concerns related to both Temu and Shein. The report presents two key findings:

• Temu doesn’t seem to have any system of audits to check for forced labor, which makes it difficult for them to prove compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
• Temu has previously admitted to not blocking goods from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, a location known for the state-imposed forced labor of the Uyghur people.

Here’s a quote from a letter related to the report:

How does Temu help protect shoppers?

To help offset some of the risks associated with using the platform, Temu offers some built-in protections for shoppers. These include encrypted payment channels to help secure financial transactions, access to customer support for order-related issues, and purchase protection on select products.

Temu has the following protocols to safeguard shoppers:

• Encrypted payment channels: Encryption protocols help ensure that Temu complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, meaning customer payment details are protected during purchases.
• Customer support: Temu provides customer support through live chat on its app and website, as well as through various social media channels. However, it does not offer a customer support phone number or publish official support hours.
• Purchase protection: Temu usually lets users return packages within 90 days as long as the items are unused, non-grocery products, not gifts, and not customized. Some sellers reduce this return timeline to 45 or 60 days.

Like TikTok Shop, Temu’s flexible return window is one of its better customer-centric features. Other providers, such as Amazon, limit their returns to 30 days, giving shoppers less time to figure out whether the product is what they’re looking for.

9 tips on how to shop on Temu safely

To shop more safely on Temu, be selective with your purchases — review product ratings and feedback to avoid risky sellers. You should also strengthen your account security by using a strong, unique password, a private email address, and two-factor authentication (2FA) to help protect against unauthorized access.

Here are some additional tips to help you shop safely on Temu, AliExpress, and other e-commerce sites:

1. Rely on customer reviews: While some customer reviews on Temu could be fake, many are from actual Temu shoppers. Sort through them by looking for detailed reviews, including actual use cases with specific examples.
2. Avoid “fake-looking” products: Counterfeit products are more likely to have unusual edits, blurry images, abnormally high reviews, and poor attention to detail. Think twice before buying if a product page has any of these issues.
3. Avoid purchasing electronics: Electronics tend to be much more dangerous if they lack quality controls. It’s best to avoid purchasing necessary electronics on Temu, as not all third-party sellers have these quality controls.
4. Avoid larger purchases: If a more expensive product has quality control issues, your money could be tied up in Temu’s refund system until the issue is resolved. Sticking to smaller, less important purchases will help you avoid these situations.
5. Avoid new sellers: New sellers are more likely to be scammers on the Temu platform because they haven’t been vetted. You can tell a seller is new by clicking on their shop icon next to the number of products sold.
6. Use a strong password: Strong passwords can help keep your account safe from takeover attempts. By making passwords unique, long, and random, you can help prevent hackers from stealing your Temu account.
7. Use a private email: If you’re concerned with Temu’s data collection practices, use a private email to limit what information they can gather. One example is Gmail accounts with no profile picture or other identifying information.
8. Use a VPN: Using a VPN while shopping on Temu adds an extra layer of security by encrypting your internet connection and masking your IP address, helping to protect sensitive information from hackers, and reducing tracking by third parties.
9. Stay informed: Temu is currently facing multiple lawsuits and investigations that may shed light on its data collection practices and business operations, and help you make informed consumer decisions.

Stay safe from shopping scams

Temu’s ultra-low prices can be tempting — but not at the expense of staying safe while you shop. Norton 360 Deluxe helps protect you from online threats with advanced AI-powered scam detection, malware protection, and a secure VPN that keeps your connection private. It also includes a password manager and dark web monitoring^§, so you’ll be alerted if your personal information ends up somewhere it shouldn’t.

FAQs

Are the products on Temu real?

Many of the products on Temu are real, although it can take a few weeks for you to receive them since they’re shipped from overseas. However, some sellers on the site have been accused of selling counterfeit items, stealing the brand names and logos from more popular products to increase sales.

How do I order from Temu?

You can order from Temu by selecting the product you want to order and adding it to your cart. Throughout the checkout process, you can enter your shipping address, payment method, and whether you want standard or express shipping.

Is Temu affected by tariffs?

Many of Temu’s products are affected by the various 2025 tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. In addition, a previous “de minimus” exception, which allowed retailers to ship goods below $800 without duty fees, which vary from 0 to 37.5% of the goods’ value, is now closed. However, with a U.S. federal court recently issuing a ruling blocking many of the Trump administration tariffs, the situation remains uncertain.

Why is Temu so cheap?

Temu’s low prices stem from its direct-to-consumer model, which eliminates the need for traditional retail markups. By bypassing physical stores, Temu avoids the added costs retailers charge to boost profits. Combined with low production costs in the countries where it operates and the benefits of economies of scale, this model allows Temu to offer products at remarkably low prices.

Do you need a phone number for Temu?

You can use Temu without providing a phone number — sign-up and login can be completed with just an email address. However, adding a phone number can be useful for order updates or account-related notifications, providing an extra layer of communication if issues arise.

Is it safe to use your credit card on Temu?

Using your credit card in Temu is likely safe because it claims to comply with the International Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. These standards require companies to take robust precautions to protect users’ payment data.