Is Temu a scam? A guide for shoppers

Temu fraud landscape: what you need to know

While Temu offers incredible deals to millions of shoppers worldwide, it has also attracted sophisticated scammers looking to exploit unsuspecting consumers. To stay safe on this popular e‑commerce platform, it’s crucial to understand the scope and nature of Temu-related scams. The following sections break down key aspects of fraud on the platform — from financial impact to targeted demographics.

Temu’s low prices have attracted shoppers from all demographics, but after almost three years on the market, certain user trends are beginning to emerge. Outside of China, the United States is by far Temu’s biggest market, accounting for over 40% of all app downloads in 2025, followed by United Kingdom in second place (Business of Apps Retail App Report 2025).

There’s a clear trend showing that older users make more frequent purchases on Temu, with the 59+ age group averaging 5.6 transactions per year — compared to just 3.3 among 27- to 42-year-olds. While this could suggest increased exposure to risk for older shoppers, the reality is that Temu scams affect all age groups — just in different ways and through different methods.

Fast facts

Older adults (59+) represent a significant share of Temu’s most loyal shoppers, potentially making them frequent targets for scams.
The average transaction value across all demographics is approximately USD $27.
Although more men than women use Temu (57% vs 43%), women are more likely to trust the platform and rate their shopping experience positively.

Sources: Bloomberg.com 2024, Business of Apps Retail App Report 2025, Statista 2024

How to spot a scam Temu email

Incredible claims

The email claims that Temu has given away over $4 million in offers — and that you can win a free pallet of goods just by answering a short survey. No legitimate company could sustain that level of generosity. Scammers will often use sensational offers to override your common sense and tempt you into clicking dangerous links.

Conflicting claims

The message says the company has already given away more than $4 million — yet calls this is a “unique offer”? Something doesn’t add up.

Scammers will often fill phishing emails with too-good-to-be-true claims, and in their rush to impress, they frequently contradict themselves. Spotting these inconsistencies is a key red flag.

Generic greeting

If you have a Temu account registered to your email and have made a purchase in the past, there’s no reason why the company wouldn’t address you by your username — rather than a vague greeting like “Temu Shopper”.

If you have an existing relationship with an online retailer, generic greetings and lack of personal details should be treated as suspicious. It’s a common sign of phishing.

Urgency

The email states that this incredible offer starts and ends today — a suspiciously short window if the company truly values your survey response.

Urgency is a classic scam tactic. Fraudsters rely on fear and excitement to pressure you into acting quickly, before you have time to think critically.

Spelling and grammar

If an email contains subtle spelling and grammar mistakes, it’s a strong indicator that it wasn’t professionally proofread. A large company like Temu is unlikely to send emails with such errors.

Scammers often — though not always — don’t speak English as a first language or simply don’t take the time to check for mistakes.

Phishing emailsare becoming more sophisticated every day, and poor grammar may not always be present in future attacks. The golden rule: always verify suspicious claims through official channels, and if you’re ever in doubt, don’t click.

Shop smart: avoiding common Temu scams

As Temu’s popularity soars, scammers are developing increasingly sophisticated schemes targeting its users. Understanding these tactics is essential for protecting yourself while shopping on this platform. From fake promotions to account hijacking, the following scams represent some of the most common threats facing Temu shoppers today.

Phishing email scams

As shown above, fraudsters send official-looking emails claiming to be from Temu, which may include fake order confirmations, too-good-to-be-true product offers, or shipping notices for items you never purchased. These emails typically contain malicious links that lead to counterfeit websites designed to steal your login credentials or payment information. Spam filters don’t catch everything — so if you’re ever in doubt, don’t click.

Social media gift card fraud

Scammers create convincing but fake Temu promotions on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, offering Temu gift cards for free or at unbelievable discounts. Posts such as these will direct victims to phishing sites that collect personal and financial information under the guise of “verifying eligibility” for the fake promotion. Like many other scams, gift card fraud often employs urgency to encourage you to click before you think.

Fake Temu apps and websites

Counterfeit Temu apps distributed through unofficial channels or deceptive ads can be closely mimic the look and feel of the legitimate app. Similarly, fake websites with subtly different URLs are designed to appear authentic but pose serious risks. These fraudulent apps and websites often contain malware designed to steal sensitive user information, such as credit card details. Fake apps may also request excessive permissions, giving scammers access to your contacts, location, and stored payment methods. To stay safe, always download apps from official sources like the Google Play or Apple App Store and verify that websites have valid security certificates before entering any personal information.

Counterfeit product listings

Scammers create listings for popular brand-name products at suspiciously low prices. When purchased, you either receive nothing or counterfeit items that are significantly different from what was advertised. These listings often lack the verification checkmark indicating legitimate brand partnerships. To protect yourself, always verify products and sellers through trusted sources, such as Temu forums or official brand pages, before making a potentially risky purchase.

Refund manipulation scams

After you make a legitimate purchase, scammers posing as Temu customer service representatives contact you claiming there’s an issue with your recent order that requires a refund. They direct you to a fake refund portal that captures your banking details or request payment app information to “process” the refund. Always verify refund requests through official channels. When in doubt, review the refund terms and conditions on Temu’s official website before taking any action.

Best practices for avoiding Temu scams

Temu is packed with great deals — but only for the cautious shopper. Its growing popularity and high volume of transactions make it an attractive target for scammers. To help protect yourself and your family from bad actors, here are 10 best practices for staying safe on Temu:

Download the official Temu app from legitimate app stores like Google Play or the Apple App Store — never from emails, text messages, or social media links.
Create a strong, unique password for your Temu account, and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible for additional security.
Check seller ratings and reviews carefully before making purchases, paying special attention to detailed reviews with photos from verified buyers.
Use credit cards or secure payment services when shopping on Temu to benefit from fraud protections that debit cards and direct bank transfers often lack.
Verify all communications claiming to be from Temu by logging into your account directly through the official app or website — never through links in emails or texts.
Be skeptical of extremely low prices for brand-name items, as legitimate luxury brands rarely offer massive discounts, even on Temu.
Keep your receipts and order confirmations to track purchases and provide proof if you need to dispute charges or report a scam.
Report suspicious listings or sellers immediately through Temu’s official reporting channels to protect yourself and other shoppers.
Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or text messages claiming to be from Temu, even if they appear urgent or offer attractive deals.
Review your bank and credit card statements regularly to quickly identify and dispute unauthorized charges from Temu or related services.

How F‑Secure Total protects you from Temu scams

F-Secure Total provides comprehensive protection against the sophisticated threats associated with Temu scams. Its AI-powered anti-phishing technology identifies and blocks malicious links in emails, text messages, and social media posts that impersonate Temu, preventing access to fraudulent websites designed to steal your credentials and payment information.

F-Secure Total’s Banking Protection feature creates a secure environment for online transactions, ensuring your financial details remain protected when making legitimate Temu purchases. F-Secure’s Identity Protection monitors for data breaches, alerting you immediately if your credentials appear on the dark web.

Beyond reactive protection, F-Secure Total empowers your online shopping with proactive security tools specifically designed for e-commerce threats. The Password Manager securely stores unique, complex passwords for each shopping platform, eliminating the vulnerability of password reuse across sites like Temu.

F-Secure’s real-time browsing protection warns you about suspicious websites and potentially counterfeit Temu stores before you provide any personal information. This multi-layered approach ensures you can confidently explore Temu’s legitimate offers while maintaining complete protection against the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce fraud.

Avoid shopping, browsing and SMS scams, and secure your online banking.
Prevent identity theft with 24/7 monitoring and alerts.
Block viruses and protect all your devices.
Encrypt your connection and keep your personal data and passwords protected.

Temu scam FAQ

Temu is a legitimate e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings, the same company behind Pinduoduo. However, like many popular shopping sites, it has become a target for third-party scammers who create fraudulent listings or impersonate the platform.

There are several steps you can take to report a Temu scam. Report it through the app’s customer service section, then file a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, contact your payment provider to dispute any charges, and finally report the fraud to your local consumer protection agency.

Temu’s extremely low prices come from their direct-from-manufacturer business model that eliminates middlemen. While mostly legitimate, these low prices can sometimes indicate counterfeit goods or misleading product quality from dishonest sellers.

Scammers can’t access your bank account simply because you shopped on Temu. However, if you fall victim to a phishing scam impersonating Temu or have provided financial information to fraudulent sellers, your accounts could be compromised.

Never click links in unexpected Temu communications. Instead, open the official app or website, log into your account, and check for the same information there. Legitimate Temu messages will be reflected in your account notifications.

Immediately change your Temu password, contact your bank to freeze compromised cards, enable fraud alerts on your credit reports, monitor your accounts for suspicious activity, and report the scam to both Temu and relevant consumer protection agencies.

Most social media promotions offering free Temu gift cards or massive discounts are scams. Legitimate Temu promotions will only be advertised through their official website, app, and verified social media accounts with blue verification badges.

Check the seller’s store rating, review count, and review quality (look for detailed reviews with photos). Be wary of new sellers with few reviews, perfect 5-star ratings without specific comments, or those selling luxury brands at suspiciously low prices.

Sources

Bloomberg, Statista 1, 2, Forbes, NatWest Group, GASA, Juniper

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