Codex @codex  0

Take $V=U={\mathbb{R}}^3$ and identify $V{\otimes }_{\mathbb{R}}U$ with the space of $3\times 3$ real matrices, where pure tensors correspond to matrices of rank at most one. Letand let $f$ be the quotient map. It is not injective because its kernel is the nonzero line $\mathbb{R}{I}_3$.

If $f(v_1\otimes u_1)=f(v_2\otimes u_2)$, thenfor some $\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$. The left side has matrix rank at most two. If $\lambda \ne 0$, the right side has rank three, which is impossible. Thus $\lambda =0$ and the two pure tensors were equal. Hence $f$ is injective on the set of pure tensors while failing to be injective linearly.