The Most Hilarious Temu Scams We’ve Seen
Just about everyone buys stuff online, but there's a certain hierarchy to the quality we expect. From brand name retailers, it's reasonable to expect to receive exactly what was ordered. But for some of the more notorious low-cost online sellers, it can be a total grab bag.
These people all received something a little different from what they were expecting, or at least got something a little bit weird - and even if it's frustrating for the recipient, it's hilarious for just about everyone else.
Stupid regular cotton
It's always helpful to know what our garments are made of, if only so we can launder them properly.
This seems to be a standard-issue label, and it does indeed specify that this shirt is made of combed cotton - not that lesser, dumb cotton that nobody apparently likes.
At least they're honest
When you see suspicious reviews online, it's hard not to suspect bots or some kind of fakery, so this person bluntly asked the seller about it.
While we have to deduct some points for artificially inflating the numbers, we also have to give them some credit for honesty.
Smallest fridge magnets ever
It isn't easy to get a good idea of the size or scale of a product before ordering online.
This person was expecting to get some smallish fridge magnets, but these things are so tiny they're darn near microscopic.
Found on DHGate
Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to find your clothes size online - but sometimes, sellers are able to help.
In this case, the seller bluntly refused to make a 4XL shirt - but they did offer some similarly blunt advice.
Cabin door for scale
If you're ever in the market for a gigantic ruler that's about four feet tall (yet displays only six inches), you're in luck.
Once again, the buyer didn't check the size of the ruler before ordering, and now they have an oversized novelty ruler to worry about.
Ordered comic book, received metal sign
The comic book that was ordered did indeed have this cover, but the buyer just received this metal sign showing the graphic.
It's a big swing and a miss, and it really doesn't work very well as a sign either.
What?!
Anxiously watching shipping tracking updates is basically a spectator sport in the 2020s, but this buyer encountered something a little bit disconcerting.
The package isn't delayed, it isn't in transit, and it isn't en route to its next destination. It's just...destroyed, full stop.
Tools from Temu
This is the classic experience many of us have encountered when shopping with these retailers: receiving an off-brand item that looks pretty good, then falls apart immediately.
Let this be a reminder that LOVEWE brand power tools don't hold up to the rigors of the job.
Hard drive scam
Storage space, whether it comes in the form of SSDs or external thumb drives, can be pretty expensive, so it makes sense to look for better deals.
What was supposed to be a four-terabyte external SSD is literally just a thumb drive that's been glued inside an enclosure.
His and hers yoga mats
The yoga mats do indeed come in the standard his and hers colors (even if the "pink" is more red and the blue is subdued).
The real problem here is the size, evidenced by the phone for scale. These are yoga mats for literal infants.
A Temu body pillow
Ordering a custom-printed body pillow from Temu sounds like a recipe for eventual disappointment, and this was absolutely the case here.
The printing on the case is so smeared and skewed that it's basically impossible to tell what it's supposed to show.
A+ customer service
The customer service support on these sites is always interesting, as the response to your problem might be generous, baffling, or anywhere in between.
This seller did something thanks-worthy, but replied to it with what seems like a not-very-veiled threat.
Temu is selling merch with his artwork
It isn't too surprising that an unscrupulous retailer would steal someone's artwork and pass it off as their own.
Here, they did exactly that - yet weirdly left the original author's name in the graphic at the bottom.
Full AC unit
Someone ordered a plug-in air conditioning unit on Temu, and to be fair, that's exactly what they received.
True, it may be an AC unit for ants that'll cause an electrical fire if plugged in, but at least it's cute.
Interesting response
Have you ever pulled off a good prank, one that infuriates the victim? It seems like that's what the seller has done here.
It's one thing to simply ignore a valid complaint, but adding the "hehe" is just rubbing salt in the wound.
Check the size of those erasers before ordering
The ideal eraser is about the size of, well, an eraser - an inch or two by an inch or so.
Unlike other Temu mishaps, the end result here was bigger than expected, not smaller. This is actually a win, as those chonky erasers can be cut down into a more manageable size.
Christmas tree received
Someone ordered an artificial Christmas tree, complete with stand. The stand here looks pretty normal, but the tree itself is a bit lacking.
It's a bold move putting a tiny Christmas tree on a normal-sized stand. Why not just scale the tree up or at least scale the stand down?
Weird stickers
A buyer ordered a whole stack of stickers with a specific message. None of them had the requested image on them, and instead had weird messages like this.
It's one thing to receive the wrong item, but it's another thing to get some messages so weird that minds will be blown.
Not a clock, but a picture of a clock
Technically, if you advertise an image of a clock and send the buyer an image of a clock, is it false advertising?
Yes. Yes, it's absolutely false advertising. Still, you can see where the seller was coming from with this scam.
"Scorpion" plushie
They ordered a cute little scorpion plushie and received some kind of off-brand Cthulhu instead.
It might not be what they wanted, but at least they received a plushie when they ordered a plushie, which is more than what some buyers can say.
Disappointing substitute
Again, someone ordered what looks like a cool jellyfish-themed lamp. What they received was an image of said lamp on a metal sign.
This is definitely a scam, but the fact that the image came on a metal sign rather than a piece of paper is an upgrade, sort of.
Ordered two guitars, got this
Anyone who's into guitars will probably recommend not looking to Temu for their next purchase, but this buyer decided to take a chance.
They didn't get a guitar, but they got a bunch of styrofoam that a guitar could conceivably sit in. That's halfway there, right?
Temu vacuum exploded
Having a small handheld Dustbuster-style vacuum is super handy, and there are good deals to be had on these online.
This person took advantage of a Temu sale to order a vacuum, which then almost immediately blew up.
AirPods from Aliexpress
Anyone with half a brain knows that Temu AirPods won't be authentic Apple products, but there is at least the hope that they'll be passable headphones.
What no one is expecting, though, is that they'll receive a pair of novelty AirPods intended for giants.
Definitely not a venus flytrap
One would assume that any seeds ordered from Temu will be a random assortment, and, well, that's exactly the case here.
After ordering some venus flytrap seeds and planting them, this buyer wound up with a lovely...whatever this plant is.
Cool new lap desk
This lap desk looks like the perfect accessory for a night in, with a cup holder, tablet stand, and handsome woodgrain texture.
It looks nice, but we'll never know if it is nice. That's because the seller is literally just selling images of the desk.
Ordered two laptops, got two keyboards
A laptop costs hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. A keyboard costs somewhere between single and double digits.
This is a massive ripoff, and it's hard not to feel bad for the person who was scammed by this.
Ordered Nikes, got this
The buyer was suckered by an image of black and white Air Jordans, and they received a pair of black and white footwear that doesn't quite measure up.
This is the perfect pair of slippers for some cow-loving person out there, but they're certainly not Nikes.
Good deal on a Switch
Temu is notorious for selling "Nintendo Switch" products that are basically a Game Boy, but this takes things to another level.
This isn't just a cheap video game, it's literally one of those cheap water-based ring toss games you can find at the dollar store.
Ordered a standup lawn display
This was supposed to be what's depicted here - a full, 3D lawn standup that lights up.
Of course, the buyer just received an image of the product. At least it has some spikes in the bottom so it can theoretically be put on the lawn.
