Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has sued Temu, accusing the Chinese-linked e-commerce giant of secretly tracking users' locations, accessing their phone cameras and microphones, and selling counterfeit merchandise bearing the logos of Missouri's biggest sports teams and brands. The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, caps what the attorney general's office described as a multiyear investigation into the popular shopping app.
What the Lawsuit Claims Temu's App Can Do
According to whig.com, the suit alleges Temu engages in deceptive business practices, unauthorized surveillance and aggressive collection of personal consumer data, with the app allegedly able to secretly track real-time location data, monitor installed software, and access camera and microphone functions. A separate report from fox4kc.com states the investigation behind the lawsuit alleges the app can pinpoint real-time location data within 10 feet of accuracy, in addition to microphone access, camera access and the ability to monitor installed apps and accounts on a device.
The same investigation alleges Temu is capable of reconfiguring itself without the user's knowledge or consent, according to the outlet's reporting — a feature prosecutors say helps the app evade detection. Hanaway's office has also raised concerns that user information gathered through the app could ultimately reach the Chinese Communist Party, and Hanaway said Temu allegedly lied to users, stole their data, packaged it and potentially delivered it to the CCP.
Counterfeit Jerseys and Unlicensed Gear
Beyond the data concerns, Missouri's attorney general's office says it found Temu listings for merchandise bearing the trademarks of Missouri athletic teams and other regional brands. The state alleges Temu listed merchandise bearing the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, Anheuser-Busch and University of Missouri trademarks, selling the trademarked goods without authorization, per the whig.com report, which also notes Temu hosts unlicensed merchandise infringing on trademarks belonging to major Missouri brands and sports franchises.
Hanaway said she has personally advised Missourians to delete the Temu app, and urged customers to exercise caution using online shopping platforms as holiday shopping season approaches. She also said children should be safe in every online space, including social media and customer interactions, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
Who Owns Temu, and What the State Wants
Temu is owned by PDD Holdings, which maintains major operations in mainland China, per the same whig.com report. Hanaway's office is seeking a permanent court injunction under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, along with civil penalties and other relief for affected Missourians. Under Missouri's Merchandising Practices Act, the statute identifies deception, fraud, false pretenses, false promises, misrepresentation, unfair practices, and the concealment, suppression or omission of material facts in connection with the sale or advertisement of merchandise as unlawful, according to the Missouri Revised Statutes. The law allows the attorney general to seek injunctive relief, civil penalties and other relief against violators. The attorney general's petition filing is dated February 10, 2026, and names ExZatica LLC, doing business as Pressure STL, as the defendant—not Temu.
The allegations have not been verified in court. Missourians who believe they were affected by Temu's business practices can file a complaint with the attorney general's office online or by calling 800-392-8222, according to kfvs12.com; the attorney general's online complaint system is also available for residents to use.
Part of a Wider Pattern Against Temu
Missouri is not alone in targeting the platform. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued Temu in July, accusing the company of numerous violations of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, according to the Des Moines Register. That lawsuit, announced July 1, alleged the app collects data far beyond what might be necessary to complete transactions. The Iowa complaint also included examples of University of Iowa and Iowa Wave clothing sold on the platform.
The Register's report notes Iowa joined Nebraska and Oklahoma in filing consumer protection lawsuits against Temu. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed his own suit earlier this year over alleged unlawful data collection, privacy violations and the counterfeiting of some of Oklahoma's most iconic brands, according to a statement from the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office. Separately, a U.S. House Select Committee report cited by fox4kc.com found that Temu shipments from China were likely to contain goods produced by forced labor and said the company had made no meaningful effort to screen or verify its supply chain.
Federal Regulators Have Targeted Location Data Before
The scrutiny of location-tracking practices echoes recent federal action. The Federal Trade Commission alleged in December 2024 that data broker Mobilewalla's collection and sale of sensitive location data compromised consumers' personal privacy and exposed them to potential discrimination, physical violence, emotional distress and other harms, according to the Federal Trade Commission. In a separate action, the agency proposed a settlement restricting Kochava and its subsidiary from selling sensitive location data, per a separate FTC announcement. Missouri's case against Temu now joins that broader national reckoning over what apps quietly collect from the phones in people's pockets.
