Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed suit against Temu, the China-based online shopping platform, accusing the company of violating the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act through deceptive marketing, invasive data collection and misuse of consumers’ personal information.
The complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, asserts that Temu’s mobile app harvests far more data than necessary for an online retailer, including precise location information, access to device microphones and cameras, and details about users’ activity on other apps — all without meaningful consent. State investigators say the app’s code is engineered to evade security review by using layered encryption and the ability to alter its own behavior after installation.
According to the lawsuit, Temu’s practices extend well beyond privacy concerns. The state alleges the company has misled consumers about product quality, faked customer reviews, charged for items that were never ordered, and used users’ payment information to place unauthorized orders. The filing also claims Temu distributed products misappropriating intellectual property from U.S. brands, including several major Arizona institutions such as the Arizona Cardinals, Fender, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.
Mayes said the suit aims to halt what the state describes as a pattern of deception and to prevent further misuse of Arizonans’ data. The filing also cites allegations of bait-and-switch referral schemes and unresolved consumer complaints about undelivered goods.
Temu, which became one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the country in 2023, works with more than 80,000 China-based sellers and ships tens of millions of packages annually to U.S. customers.
Arizonans who believe they have been affected by unfair or deceptive practices can file a consumer complaint through the Attorney General’s website or by contacting regional offices for assistance.
