Temu may have spent as much as $962 million on Meta ads promoted through accounts that likely do not represent real influencers. 73 of the 100 creators whose content was most heavily boosted by the Chinese online retailer in the UK and Europe were likely fake accounts, raising questions about how the company’s advertising budget is being used on Facebook and Instagram, according to research reviewed by Fortune.
Posts from the account were boosted by Temu and viewed more than 1 billion times across Facebook and Instagram during the 16 months ending in April 2026, according to ORL. ORL estimates Temu spent as much as $962 million on similar ads in the UK and 27 EU countries during the period. The group estimates Temu accounts for nearly 2% of Meta’s revenue from the continent in any given quarter. Of the top 100 creators working with Temu, only eight were verified with a real identity, according to ORL. Twenty-eight were based in Russia and 19 in China, while only six were based in the EU or UK “Among the top 100 influencers collaborating with Temu, there are certainly some real people among them. In my estimate, however, they account for no more than 15–20%.
According to Online Risk Labs (ORL), Ya Lili was Temu’s top creator for partnership ads on Meta platforms in the UK and Europe. By contrast, I have serious doubts about the authenticity of accounts that, according to the platform, are based in Russia, China, or Iran,” ORL manager Vendula Prokůpková told Fortune. The research suggests the account almost certainly does not represent a real person. The estimate is based on total impressions and average cost per reach.