The popular Chinese-based shopping app, Temu, which is topping US download charts, is under scrutiny due to concerns stemming from its sister app Pinduoduo.
Although Temu has not been directly implicated, the alleged actions of Pinduoduo raise the possibility of a negative impact on the global expansion of the Temu app in the US for iPhone and Android users.
Credit: Statista
Other Chinese-based apps are also coming under fire now as well, with the U.S. Congress still seriously considering whether they will ban TikTok or not in the States.
The Temu app was quietly launched back in September in the U.S., and so far, it has 4.6 stars on the App store and 4.6 stars on the Google Play Store at the time of publishing.
Why is Temu’s international sister app Pinduoduo under fire?
Cybersecurity researchers have found some damaging information about how the Pinduoduo app spies on people who use it.
For some background, Pinduoduo is a popular shopping app in China that sells clothing, groceries, and pretty much any other product you can imagine. Over 750 million people use the app, which means that there’s plenty of data out there for the app to steal.
The issue with Pinduoduo is that it can allegedly bypass users’ cell phone security to monitor activities on other apps, check notifications, read private messages, and change settings.
According to a cyber expert, Pinduoduo has also been able to get access to users’ locations, contacts, calendars, and photo albums without their consent. They were also able to access users’ social network accounts and chats.
Once a person installs the app, it’s also pretty hard to remove it fully. The reason is that it has malware present within it that especially exploits vulnerabilities in Android operating systems.
There is no evidence that Pinduoduo has handed data to the Chinese government. However, there are concerns from U.S. lawmakers that any company operating in China could be forced to cooperate with a broad range of security activities.
MORE: EXPOSING THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT POPULAR APPS WITH CHINESE TIES
What is being done about Pinduoduo?
The Pinduoduo app seems to have already been banned from the Google Play Store, as we tried to find it and could not locate the app for installation anywhere. However, the app is still available on the App Store, so it is unclear if Apple will follow suit.
Temu is also still available on the App Store and Google Play Stores. However, it is reportedly starting to develop a reputation for undelivered packages, mysterious charges, incorrect orders, and unresponsive customer service. Temu has already been subject to more than 30 complaints to the Better Business Bureau and has a BBB customer rating of 2.3 stars.
Hopefully, the Pinduoduo app will soon be banned on all platforms in the U.S., as it appears to be a pretty dangerous and invasive app to have on anyone’s phone. I certainly would not want to have it on mine.
Chinese-based apps pose security and privacy risks
In the meantime, if you’re an iOS user, I would recommend avoiding downloading the Pinduoduo app. If, for some reason, you do have it on your phone, delete it immediately. There is a possibility that it may collect and share personal information with the Chinese government or other third parties, which could put your sensitive information at risk. For the future, I would say to do your best to avoid using apps that are not U.S.-based.
How to delete your Temu account permanently
- Go to the You tab at the bottom of the Temu app
- Select Settings
- Open “Account Security”
- Scroll down to the bottom and click on Delete Your Temu Account.
- Then click on “I Want to Permanently Delete My Temu Account and All Its Data”.
How to delete Temu from your devices
iPhone
Long-press on the Temu app icon on your home screen or app library, and then tap on “Delete App” or “Move to Trash”. You can also go to your iPhone settings, find the Temu app in the list of apps, and tap on “Delete App” or “Offload App”.
Android
Long-press on the Temu app icon on your home screen or app drawer, and then tap on “Uninstall” or “Remove”. You can also go to your phone settings, find the Temu app in the list of apps, and tap on “Uninstall” or “Disable”.
Have good antivirus software on all your devices
This story is another reminder to always have good antivirus software running on your devices as it will protect you from accidentally clicking malicious links and will remove any malware from your devices.
Special for CyberGuy Readers: My #1 pick is TotalAV, and you can get a limited-time deal for CyberGuy readers: $19 your first year (80% off) for the TotalAV Antivirus Pro package.
Find my review of Best Antivirus Protection here.
Have you heard of this suspicious app before? Let us know your thoughts.
Related:
- Don’t use TikTok? The China-owned social network may still have your data
- “Virtual employees” on the rise in China, should you be worried?
13 comments
i actually liked temu and their unusual products and good prices, but will quit them right now!