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This may come as a shock to you (it doesn’t), but not all TikTok experts are, well, experts. The reality is, most of your feed is filled with wannabe-influencers who are simply looking for an angle to carve out their piece of the platform—whatever gets you to follow their account and their videos.

Ordinary people post videos telling you how to “get rich like me!,” why you need to buy crypto (Spoiler alert: You don’t. Not yet, at least!), ways to outsmart your favorite stores, advice for buying a , tricks for negotiating salary, and why you must follow them to learn how to earn passive income (brace yourself for another get-rich-quick scheme!).

It’s a dangerous game to believe everything you see on TikTok (or any social media for that matter), so how do you decipher the sound advice from the stupid?

We verified and debunked our staff’s most liked TikToks about money matters. You may be shocked to learn the truth.

NEGOTIATE LIKE A PRO

TikTok'er: @ree2mz     Followers: 305.4K
Advice: How to reduce your rent

@ree2mz

rent tips you need ðŸ'€

♬ original sound - Reetu Maz

The fine print: Her tips are super savvy, but there is no guarantee your landlord or apartment management company will lower your rent because of them. They are definitely worth a try and have proven successful for many.

Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to negotiate. What have you got to lose?

Accuracy: Bullseye! This advice is spot on.

CREDIT CARD HACKS

TikTok’er: @erikakullberg     Followers: 7.8 million
Advice: Your credit card offers you financial protection if an item you purchased using your card is lost, stolen or damaged.

@erikakullberg Stolen airpods? They don’t want you to know this hack 🤯 #lawyer #personalfinance #thankserika #erikataughtme ♬ original sound - Money Lawyer Erika

The fine print: While it’s true, credit cards like American Express and Visa offer purchase protection, there are caveats. This protection is only for “eligible purchases” and only for a certain amount of time. Visa, for instance, offers protection for 90-180 days depending on the item. Not to mention, damage must have happened during an “eligible event.”

Moral of the story: Read your credit card terms and conditions carefully.

Accuracy: Some truth to it, but proceed with caution.

SAVING MONEY

TikTok’er: @nobudgetbabe     Followers: 1.1 million
Advice: Saving $10/day for 10 years with a 10% average annual return on investment = $70,000 — enough for a down payment on a bigger investment or equity in a property

@nobudgetbabe the time will pass anyways, what do you want to do with it? #Caribana #SummerDIY #moneytips #moneymoneymoney #financialfreedom ♬ original sound - Nicole Victoria | Money Coach

The fine print: A person’s annual rate of return on their investment varies, so the numbers may not be exactly the same from person to person, but the point is sound. Saving consistently over an extended period of time adds up fast thanks to compounding interest. And after your savings account grows, you can use that money to buy other investments like stocks, real estate, or, as she suggests, income-producing property.

Moral of the story: Start saving now. A little bit goes a long way if you’re consistent.

Accuracy: Bullseye! This advice is spot on.

ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT

TikTok’er: @irv.official     Followers: 725.6K
Advice: Don’t keep your money in the bank; banks are making money off of your money.

@irv.official Do not keep your money in the bank #banks #banking #creditcards #lifeinsurance #mutualfunds #assets #stoxks #inflation #moneytips ♬ original sound - Irv Official

The fine print: @irv.official is spinning basic banking procedures into scare tactics. While banks do lend out deposited funds and make money on the loan interest, banks always have enough money to address your day-to-day needs and will pay you interest on any money deposited into their savings accounts. On the rare occasion they don’t have enough money for a withdrawal—usually only during a crisis or bankruptcy—customer money is FDIC insured up to $250,000. If you happen to have more than $250,000, make sure to use multiple banks so that it’s all insured.

Moral of the story: Banks are safe, secure, FDIC-insured and an essential financial tool you will need throughout your adult life. Think checking accounts, saving accounts, home loans, car loans, business loans, lines of credit, financial planning and more.

Accuracy: Just a load of…

BUILDING WEALTH

TikTok’er: @_averyheilbron    Followers: 191.2k
Advice: Debt creates wealth.

@_averyheilbron Debt creates wealth #wealth #debt #fintok #moneytips ♬ original sound - Avery Heilbron

The fine print: While it is entirely possible to build wealth through income-producing property and investments purchased with loans (debt) it still takes a lot of money up-front to make the down payments necessary to get these loans. Even after you secure a loan, you’ll then need to earn enough money from the income-producing channel to pay the required monthly payment (and interest) on your loan, and any money leftover you’ll need to save to put towards the next investment. Stacking loans (debt) for acquisitions like this means a lot of debt and a lot of risk. There is simply more to it than @_averyheilbron can explain in his 42-second video.

Moral of the story: This is not good advice for teens and young adults—the primary consumers of his content on TikTok. This type of strategy is not for entry-level savers, and banks won’t loan you the money anyway unless you have an excellent credit score, proven track record for making payments on time and already have a lot of assets. Revisit this idea in 10 years and seek counsel from financial advisors, accountants and mentors before utilizing such an aggressive wealth-building strategy.

Accuracy: Just a load of…

Advice: Only using a savings account to save for retirement won’t work.

@_averyheilbron The only way to retire early is with cash flowing assets & investments #wealth #fintok #moneytips #investing IB: @nicktalksmoney ♬ original sound - Avery Heilbron

The fine print: The long-term average return on stock market investment is 10%, according to NerdWallet, meanwhile, the national average interest rate for savings accounts is 0.06%, according to Bankrate. You do the math. It will take much longer to save enough for retirement if you only use a savings account.

Moral of the story: Diversify how and where you invest your money. And while @_averyheilbron loves to tout income-producing properties where tenants pay rent and investments that pay dividends (yes, those rock!), there are more investments to consider, including 401Ks, stocks, bonds, physical assets like gold and silver, real estate, agriculture, oil, etc.

Accuracy: Bullseye! This advice is spot on.

WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW

TikTok’er: @ecommjess     Followers: 351.3K
Advice: Don’t buy a car based on the monthly payment.

@ecommjess Bring this video the next time you buy a car 🤪 #invest #investing #personalfinance #moneytips #car #fintok #finance ♬ Way 2 Sexy - Drake

The fine print: A car dealer can extend a car loan out over more years, making the monthly payment more affordable. However, because you’ll now be paying for the car longer, you will accrue more interest, ultimately making the car more expensive.

Moral of the story: While it’s wise to know what you can afford to spend on your car payment each month, you should not use this information during negotiations; focus solely on the total price of the car. And remember warranties and service places will impact your monthly payment, too.

Accuracy: Bullseye! This advice is spot on.