Kiwis are increasingly turning to social media for money advice from finfluencers and online forums to podcasts. Some of this content can be genuinely informative, but other posts can be misleading, heavily promotional, or even linked to scams.

In this episode of our Occasional Conversation podcast, Jess is joined by Anna Godfrey from our Financial Advice team and Elizabeth Asmerom Asfaha from our Regulatory Services team to unpack what to look out for when engaging with money content online.

They discuss:

• What “finfluencers” are and why their content is so popular
• The difference between general financial information and regulated financial advice
• Common red flags, including guaranteed returns, pressure tactics and flashy lifestyle marketing
• What to look for in paid promotions, referral links and sponsored content
• Simple steps you can take before acting on money advice they see online
• The risks for financial advisers and firms using finfluencers or influencer-style content

If you come across money content that feels high pressure, too good to be true, or unclear about incentives, slow down and do your research.

Find our finfluencer guidance here: Staying Safe with Online Money Advice | Financial Markets Authority