Arizona attorney general files lawsuit against Temu
PHOENIX (KYMA) - Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced she's filed a lawsuit against Temu, a Chinese online shopping platform.
According to a press release obtained by KYMA, the lawsuit alleges that Temu violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.
This includes collecting data unlawfully, violating customers' privacy and "counterfeiting some of Arizona's most iconic brands," the press release says.
"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," Attorney General Mayes said in the press release.
In addition to the allegations of violating the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, the lawsuit, according to the press release, alleges Temu also engaged in "deceptive and unfair trade practices in the offer and sale of products and in the resolution of consumer complaints."
This includes the following:
- Advertising items that look nothing like the items that eventually arrive.
- Faking customer reviews.
- Using consumer payment information to order items the consumer never asked for.
- Misappropriating the intellectual property of U.S.-owned companies, including some of Arizona's most iconic brands including the Arizona Cardinals, Fender Guitars, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.
- Charging for goods not ordered or not delivered.
- Using bait and switch signup schemes to lure users to invite their friends to the app in exchange for the promise of prizes and rewards that never arrive.
- Using forced labor in clear violation of 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 Mayes. "We are taking Temu to court to stop these practices, protect Arizonans' privacy, and hold Temu fully accountable under Arizona law."
To learn more about the lawsuit, click here.
