Nebraska AG targets Temu, accuses company of unlawful data collection, deceptive practices

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska took aim at the e-commerce company Temu in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Lancaster County District Court.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers accused the Chinese company of unlawfully collecting consumers’ data.

The lawsuit alleges that once you download the Temu app, it installs malware that can access virtually everything on your phone.

Hilgers said Temu is required to provide whatever data it collects to the Chinese government.

The suit also accuses the company of deceptively marketing their products as low-cost, high-quality goods.

It says that the items buyers receive often don’t match the picture on the app and that Temu makes up a “market price” for some products to make their prices look better than they are.

Hilgers also alleges that Temu is infringing on the intellectual property of several Nebraska brands, including Runza, Cabela’s and the Huskers.

The lawsuit says unlicensed products associated with those brands are being presented as authentic on the app.

“Temu is putting Nebraskans’ privacy at risk and running a platform rife with deceptive listings, unlawful promotional practices, and products that rip off Nebraska brands and creations,” Hilgers said in a press release. “Our office will hold Temu accountable for its exploitation of Nebraska consumers, brands, and creators and fight hard for honesty and safety in the online marketplace.”