Are There Temu Scams? How to Protect Yourself When Shopping Online

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The most common scams on Temu and how to spot them
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While Temu is a legitimate shopping app, it's perfectly understandable to worry about scams—scammers are on the rise on Temu, and it's best to be prepared. In this article, we'll go over 10 of the most common Temu scams, as well as how to shop safely on Temu and what to do if you've been scammed. Read on to learn more.

Avoiding Temu Scams

The best way to avoid Temu scams is to avoid clicking on any links that don't come from a trusted source. Check the phone number or email of the person sending you the link, and make sure the link comes from an official Temu URL. Never click links that you don't trust.

Section 1 of 3:

Common Temu Scams

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  1. In this scam, the scammer will send you a text that looks like a promotional text message from Temu. The text will contain something called a phishing link. Phishing links are links that bring you to a fake website that is made to look official (in this case, it will look like the official Temu website) in order to steal your information. [1] Unfortunately, even just tapping on a phishing link (without putting in any info) can put you at risk, as it can silently download malware onto your device that can scrape your information. [2]
    • What to look for:
      • A legit marketing text from Temu will come from a five-digit "short code," or a short phone number that's used by businesses for marketing activity. [3] If the phone number looks like a normal number (especially if it starts with a + and some digits), it's a scam.
      • A real marketing text from Temu will have a URL in it that says "app.temu.com." If the link looks suspicious, it's probably a phishing link.
      • If the text has a lot of grammatical mistakes, is very long, or is written in a strange way, it's usually a scam. Temu marketing texts will be short and error-free.
      • If you don't see a line like "Reply STOP to cancel" at the end of the message, the text is a scam. All businesses are required by law to allow you to opt out of text message marketing.
  2. 2
    Email scams This scam is very similar to the text message scam, but it happens via email. Scammers will send a fake email with phishing links to try and trick you into giving away your personal info. These emails may look like a marketing email, but they might also look like an email from a seller (such as a seller requesting more money for an item you allegedly purchased). Again, you can still be at risk even if you just click on a phishing link, as it can install malware on your system without you knowing.
    • What to look for:
      • A real email from Temu will come from an official Temu email address, such as temu.com, temuemail.com, temumail.com, temuofficial.com, or temufavor.com. [4]
      • Poor spelling and grammar in the email message is also a sure sign that the message is a scam.
      • Temu will never ask you to provide your personal info (such as SSN, TIN, credit card number, credit card PIN, credit card security code, Temu account password, or other personally identifying info) via email.
      • Temu will never ask you to pay for shipping to get a free gift via email.
      • Temu will never ask you to open any attachments in an email.
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  3. 3
    Counterfeit product scams Temu is technically a third-party marketplace (kind of like AliExpress or Amazon), so you may encounter counterfeit items on the website. If you see a deal that is too good to be true, this is likely a scam. The scammers try to lure buyers in by offering an expensive item for a comparably low price, but the item is either completely fake or of very poor quality.
    • What to look for:
      • Sales that seem too good to be true. For example, if a seller is selling an iPhone for $100, it's likely a scam. While $100 is a really good price for a smartphone, it's way too good to be true, and you'll likely end up getting something fake from the seller (if you even get the item at all).
      • Avoid sellers with no reviews or bad reviews.
      • Check for Temu's verification badge, as well as good reviews from other buyers.
  4. 4
    Job offer scams If you get a text from someone claiming to be offering you a job from Temu, do not reply—this is a common scam going around these days. These scams claim you can make hundreds to thousands of dollars in just a few minutes by helping Temu sellers with product reviews. In actuality, the scammers behind these texts will create false work "scenarios" and demand money from you. They will also demand more money to "unfreeze" your work account so you can access the money you've supposedly made. [5]
    • What to look for: Any job offer text message from Temu is a scam. [6]
  5. 5
    Affiliate/referral scams While Temu does have an official affiliate program , scammers may try to trick you into clicking a fake affiliate link. These links are phishing links (similar to the links used in the text and email scams discussed above) that will try and steal your personal information.
    • What to look for:
      • Check the affiliate or referral link URL. If the link doesn't look like an official Temu link, don't click on it.
      • Avoid offers that seem too good to be true. These offers are nearly always scams.
      • If you are being pressured to click on the link or there is a sense of urgency (for example, claiming that you must click the link in the next five minutes to get something), it's a scam.
  6. 6
    Gift card scams If you see someone online promoting a Temu gift card that seems a little too good to be true, it's probably a scam. Fake gift card promotions have been on the rise lately, and scammers will try and get you to do something (such as click a link, download an app, or play a game) to get a free gift card. These tasks will waste your time at best, or steal your personal information at worst—it's best to avoid them entirely.
    • What to look for:
      • If the gift card promotion requires you to click on a link, check to make sure the link is a legit Temu address. If it's not, it's a scam.
      • If the offer is too good to be true, it's a scam. Social media ads or posts that promise free money or gift cards should not be clicked on.
      • If someone is saying you have to do something to earn the gift card (such as filling out a survey, playing a game, or clicking a link), it's a scam.
  7. 7
    Fake app scams In this scam, the scammer will try and get you to input your personal info (such as your username, password, and bank information) into a fake Temu app. These apps can look almost identical to the regular Temu app, so it can be a little hard to know just by looking if the app is fake or not.
    • What to look for:
      • The app wasn't downloaded via the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Apple and Google routinely monitor apps in their respective marketplaces, so malicious apps are often downloaded via separate links.
      • The app has bad reviews. If you do see the app on the App Store or Google Play Store, check the reviews. If other users are calling the app a scam, avoid it.
      • If the app asks for permissions to your contacts, camera, or microphone, it's a scam. These permissions are unnecessary for an app like Temu, and scammers will use these permissions to snoop through your phone or listen in on your conversations to try and snag your personal info.
  8. 8
    Pallet scams One common ad you might see for Temu is what's known as a pallet scam—someone is advertising that they have an entire pallet to sell of something, and they're selling it at incredibly low prices . These scams are often framed as being limited-time, creating a sense of urgency to incentivize you to purchase quickly without thinking. According to Reddit, these ads are usually made by sellers trying to get referrals for free items from the referral program. [7]
    • What to look for:
      • Too good to be true pricing. If an item is selling for very cheap , it's likely a scam, and you'll either get a very poorly made item or nothing at all.
      • If the ad or seller is promoting a sense of urgency, it's likely a scam—they want you to purchase the item without thinking too much about it.
  9. 9
    Customer service scams In this scam, a scammer will pose as a member of Temu's customer service team to try and get personal information out of you. They may ask for your Temu login credentials, your bank info, or other personally identifying information.
    • What to look for:
      • A real email from Temu will come from an official Temu email address, such as temu.com, temuemail.com, temumail.com, temuofficial.com, or temufavor.com.
      • Temu will never ask you to provide your personal info (such as SSN, TIN, credit card number, credit card PIN, credit card security code, Temu account password, or other personally identifying info) via email.
      • If there are any grammar or spelling errors in the email, it's a scam.
  10. 10
    Xbox Live scams If you get a message from someone on Xbox Live claiming that you'll get an Xbox gift card if you input a code in the Temu app, it's a scam. According to Reddit, if you input the code provided into the Temu app, the scammer will get money (as it's a referral or affiliate code), and you will get nothing. [8] While this scam won't swindle you out of your own money, it's definitely a waste of time.
    • What to look for: Any messages from someone on Xbox Live claiming that you've won an Xbox gift card are always scams.
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Section 2 of 3:

Shopping Safely on Temu

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  1. 1
    Use a different email address. When creating your Temu account, sign up with a dummy email address that isn't connected to your main email address. This will keep any spam messages contained, and your personal info won't be at stake.
  2. 2
    Create a strong password. When making your Temu account, create a strong password that is different from any of your other passwords. A strong password is long, combines capital and lowercase letters, and includes numbers and symbols. Never put any personally identifying info in your password. A simple way to make a strong password that's easy to remember is to choose a few random words (such as rabbit, lagoon, and scissors) and combine them. Then, replace some of the letters with symbols and numbers, and make some of the letters capitals (i.e., Rabb!tL4g0onSc!ss4RS).
    • If you don't want to have to remember your password, you can use a password manager to create and store strong passwords for you.
  3. 3
    Never click suspicious links. If you get a link in an email or text message and you get a bad feeling about it, don't click it. It's better to be safe than sorry and avoid falling victim to a phishing attack.
  4. 4
    Always check reviews and ratings. Before buying from a seller on Temu, check their reviews. If a vast majority of the reviews are positive, it's likely safe to buy from that seller. Avoid sellers that have bad reviews, and don't buy from anyone who has no reviews at all.
  5. 5
    Don't link your payment method to Temu. Avoid linking your credit or debit card directly to Temu. If possible, simply type in your payment details every time you use the app. This will keep your banking information (and money) safe if someone does manage to hack into your account.
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Section 3 of 3:

What to Do if You've Been Scammed

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  1. If you realize you've been scammed, change your Temu account password and any account passwords that are the same. If you can't log in to your Temu account, click Trouble signing in? on the login page to initiate account retrieval.
  2. 2
    Contact your bank. Once your accounts are secure, call your bank. You may need to ask for the fraud department. You should contact your bank even if you haven't had any money stolen from your account. Your bank may be able to keep an eye out for any suspicious purchases and stop them before they go through.
  3. 3
    Contact Temu . Go to Temu's suspicious reports page and fill out a report to the best of your ability. Make sure to include transaction dates, payment amounts, and any emails or texts you got before or during the scam.
  4. If the scammer got your bank information, social security number, or any other personally identifying information, call the local authorities and make a report. Even if you're unsure, it's better to call and ask if you should file a report, especially if you're concerned about monetary or identity theft.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/url-phishing
      2. ↑ https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2024/07/05/if-i-click-a-link-will-i-get-hacked
      3. ↑ https://www.infobip.com/glossary/short-code
      4. ↑ https://www.temu.com/support/c3/how-to--scam-emails-f-208-s-2039.html
      5. ↑ https://fox8.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/got-a-temu-job-offer-via-text-why-people-who-replied-are-warning-others
      6. ↑ https://www.temu.com/support/c3/protect-yourself-from-spam-text-messages-and-phishing-scams-f-208-s-1444.html
      7. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/qatar/comments/1kpm6wf/why_is_temu_being_such_a_scam_i_mean_are_they
      8. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/xbox/comments/12eouas/new_messaging_scam_to_watch_out_for

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