Arizona AG Sues Temu for Alleged Data Stealing
Arizona sued Temu on Monday, alleging the e-commerce platform violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act (ACFA) through customer privacy violations and unlawful data collection.
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“We allege that Temu has repeatedly and willfully violated the [ACFA] and put the privacy of Arizonans, including minors, at extreme risk,” said Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) in a Tuesday release. “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.”
"Code-level behaviors" in Temu's app "collect users’ sensitive personally-identifiable information (PII) without their knowledge or consent,” said the complaint, filed in the Arizona Superior Court in Maricopa County.
The “harms are compounded both because the Temu app is purposely designed to evade detection,” and “a portion of their operations [are] located on mainland China, where cybersecurity laws allow the government unfettered access to data owned by Chinese businesses whenever it wishes.”
Additionally, “Temu sells products to Arizonans in ways that are plainly violative of the ACFA,” which is “more traditional consumer deception,” the suit added. Temu didn't comment Tuesday.
Other states previously sued the e-commerce platform. Nebraska’s AG accused it of privacy and consumer protection violations in June (see 2506120027), while Kentucky filed a similar complaint in July (see 2507170044). Temu, however, denied Kentucky’s allegations (see 2507210015).
Oklahoma also sought outside counsel to help with a privacy probe into the e-commerce company in September (see 2509180011).