TEMU WARNING

[frozencarlotta]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65990529?fbclid=IwAR3IjNnvlU7S_izagSEZyz5Tmo-ZSR3p6NwN-cVp7JbW_Fav9vnKv3I2sTU

and this was on social media, Its a little 'facebook warning' type

Radio talk show hostess, Kim Komando, did some digging about TEMU and this is what she found!
Seemingly overnight, everyone’s talking about Temu (pronounced “tee-moo”), an online shopping app that boasts deals that seem too good to be true, like $17 wireless earbuds, $1 “gold” necklaces and $23 wedding dresses.
Over 50 million Americans have downloaded Temu since it launched state-side in September 2022, after it gained traction with expensive Super Bowl ads promising to let you “shop like a billionaire.”
Today, Temu is the most popular shopping app in the U.S. behind Amazon. But most of us don’t know much about the app’s true origins. Reader Daniel Mayer asked an important question, “Is [Temu] something we should be concerned about?”
So, I did some digging. And as it turns out, yes, you absolutely should be. Here’s what I found:
Where did Temu come from?
This isn’t some fly-by-night operation. Temu is based in Boston, Massachusetts, by PDD Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: PDD). PDD is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
PDD also owns the e-commerce platform Pinduoduo headquartered in — you guessed it — China. So, Temu is a Communist China-based app and site.

What you need to know before using Temu
First, you’re buying goods directly from manufacturers in China and other parts of the world. That’s why shipping times are often 12 days or longer. The prices are low because the goods are cheap. The pictures of what you see advertised may not be what you actually get.
Temu’s BBB rating is 2.21/5. Reviews at TrustPilot are interesting, with 38% 5-star reviews and 41% 1-star reviews.
But that’s not the worst of it.

Temu is downright dangerous.

The app is a clever, pervasive digital stalker. As you shop, Temu monitors your activity on other apps, tracks your notifications and location and changes settings.
It gets worse. Temu gains full access to all your contacts, calendars and photo albums, plus all your social media accounts, chats and texts. In other words, literally everything on your phone.
No shopping app needs this much control, especially one tied to Communist China. If you’re using Temu, delete the app from your phone ASAP.
On iPhone, Long-press an app, then tap Remove App > Delete App. Tap Delete to confirm.
On Android, touch and hold an app, then tap Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
Pro tip: If you downloaded Temu, to be safe from Chinese spies, you really need to do a full factory reset.
But wait, there’s more! Temu’s sister app was removed from Google Play because of malware.

Do not buy from this company, or use their app

Do people not know Temu is Chinese? Also (on an iPhone) you have to give apps permission to use data from other apps and track activity. It’s not exclusive to Temu, it’s every app - the mumsnet one included.

Temu is cheap shits but that article is ridiculous.

Eek. I've bought from Temu. I haven't downloaded the app though. Is there anything I can do?

I agree, but the lure of cheap crap is just too irresistible for many people. Still, if they want lots of Chinese tech people laughing at their drunken, naked antics, trawling through their private information and selling it on to scammers then what can you do? 🙅

Oh bugger off. It’s the same as wish and shein etc. It’s all cheap shite from china, it’s hit and miss with what you order quality wise. You’d have to be thick as fuck to not know any of the info that’s in your thread though, it’s common sense that £1 headphones and a £27 wedding dress that takes 3 weeks to arrive is a Chinese knock off. And pretty much ALL companies you give any details to are tracking you

Isn't this common knowledge?

Most people don't care as long as they can get a bargain, sadly.

The issue is more the data farming I think than the cheap shit knock off

Everybody knows what Temu is and how it and other similar sites work. Even the "it was great for lots of little bits" brigade who don't care about wider moral or ethical concerns, even before we talk about security risks.

People won't stop using it.

Scare mongering, Facebook is blatantly doing it. Amazon not so blatant but does it.

I don't disagree with not buying from TEMU, but the article fails to mentuon that you can order online without downloading the app.

The deals are so good, they're welcome to have my contact list 😂

But seriously, do you not realise that Facebook/Meta do exactly the same things? They track and collect the same data on your phone in order to sell advertisement or sell you details onto third parties. As the saying goes, if the app is free then you are the product.

At least Temu helps people with the cost of living by offering everyday products that are grossly overpriced on Amazon or local retailers. Of course, the morality of buying directly from the factory vs local sellers with markups is a valid but entirely different discussion.

It’s cheap because it’s being made by slaves

I've never bought from Temu, although I have clicked on their sponsored posts from FB to have a look around as they've obviously done their targeting right and served me an add full of things I liked.

I was obviously a bit dubious if this company and didn't make a purchase or download the app. But now I keep receiving text messages from them and I have no idea how they got my number or how to stop them! I block the number, but they keep coming from new numbers!!

Does anyone know how to stop these or remove my info from their list without drawing more attention to myself or providing personal details?

temu parent company was removed by apple and google play stores in China because it contained malware.

but sure pretend they’re just like any other company - they’re not.

Read the T&Cs for TikTok while you're at it. No one will they enjoy it too much to delete it.

Do people really not know its a Chinese company? I thought that was fairly well known, like Ali Express.

Also, why the pointed references to "Communist China" instead of just China? Did Joseph McCarthy write this post?

I dont do tiktok

The Temu thing is interesting as there are soooo many "here's my link" type posts even here on MN - it seems to be more in your face than Shein or Amazon?

I dont think the Chinese will be too interested in the data of a 40 something year old administrator in Ireland, who buys cheap make up brushes and vest tops.

I know Temu is Chinese? The app has the name in English and (I assume) Mandarin.

Stuff is cheap enough that I don't care if it isn't 'as advertised', although the few things in purchased from there so far have exceeded my expectations.

I don't know about the access stuff, I don't have the app on my phone I only download it to order then delete as I don't have much storage space on my phone.

You clearly have no experience at all about manufacturing and import. Anyone with a bit of connection to Shenzhen/Guangzhou area of Chinas knows that the cost price of everyday items are so small that it's almost unfathomable. The products are all identical whether you buy them from the factory, your local shop or Selfridges. IF they were made by slaves, then the brick and mortar shop with the highest markup is the only winner.

Would you consider someone living in the UK working 60hrs a week for a barely livable wage "free"? Look around on MN about the desperation people face trying to keep their heads above water. Having children has become a luxury. Having a second or third child could be the decision that plunges you into poverty or lose your house. It's really not all that different to the one child policy.

Interesting to see that the current Which magazine are asking for people's opinions/dealings with Temu.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65990529.amp

Just like all the other ultra cheap shopping/fashion sites: if the price is that low, slavery is a guarantee. There's no justification for enslaving others to get a dopamine hit out of acquiring tat.

I suspect Nemesias is referring to the Uyghurs and products from Xinjiang.

Working for minimum wage and barely scraping by is horrendous, but its not comparable to modern slavery and genocide.

I'm sure lots of people know this but are happy with data harvesting for the cheap tat.

I'm a Primark FB group and there was a debate about Temp, Shein, sweatshops etc and a grown woman said she is great full for the tiny hands that make her cheap jeans. I don't have much sympathy for that kind of person

I won't be shopping from TEMU because it is cheap crap, almost certainly much of which will be produced by child or slave labour. Since China isn't actually communist then repeated scary tales of how I would be supporting communism would be irrelevant. That's America for you - Donald Trump has claimed that all the charges against him have been brought by left wing communists. Communism is still America's version of the bogeyman.

As for tracking you - have you any idea how much tracking of you MumsNet does? I will lay bets most apps you have on your phone track and access all those things too - virtually every app does unless you refuse permission and most people never read the "small print" about anything.

As for retail morals, Temu is really not a lot different than any retailer - they all chase the cheap labour, and you might just be shocked at the way some of your expensive, high end products are produced or the conditions people work in.