The next time you see an influencer flaunt their extravagant lifestyle on social media, pause for a moment to consider if the image portrayed is genuine or merely a marketing stunt.
Some Malaysian influencers' high-flier reputations have been shot to the ground by eagle-eyed netizens in a recent exposé. They claimed to be financial gurus, promising to teach others their methods of reaping sky-high returns. Shots of marketing or recruitment videos with the interior of a private jet as the backdrop helped paint the picture of a lavish, jet-setting lifestyle.
One "financial adviser" captioned his video with a promise to make multimillionaires out of the "sifu circle" who pledge to follow him on the path to success. Another "trader" lured users to meet him in Penang by promising to guide them to make their first million within six months.
TikTok user, @KakiKomen, highlighted the ploy through a compilation of said influencers boarding the same aircraft with strips of yellow and green by its side. Some were seen arriving at the tarmac of Subang Skypark, near Kuala Lumpur, in luxurious cars while others were captured counting wads of cash aboard the plane, to imprint an image of success on viewers.
In the videos that have racked up millions of views, Kaki Komen alleged that these influencers had all chipped in to rent the private jet for their individual shoots. Netizens were quick to scorn the influencers, ridiculing them for living in their own fantasies. They went on to mock an influencer who was shooting in the rain, noting that he was probably forced to do so to avoid forfeiting the jet rental fee.
Kaki Komen's allegations were confirmed by another Tiktoker, @mrturboprop, who is also a pilot. Using Flightradar navigation data, he revealed that the Bombardier Challenger 601-3R with the auspicious license number N888FJ had not flown since February 21. Additionally, he pointed out the odd positioning of a portable air conditioner at the plane's door.
Some, who claimed to work at Subang Skypark, stated that they knew the jet's owner and that the influencers were merely taking their car to an area permitted to park, but not actually board a plane that was scheduled to fly.
The fiasco has inevitably impacted trader influencers on TikTok. One user by the handle @AnnLivetrade seemed to parody earlier influencers, complete with a luxury car on the tarmac to board a private jet with a bagful of stacked RM50 notes. his video was captioned:
“The cost of renting a private jet is not the same as the cost of renting a Myvi, don’t condemn it”
which appeared to be pleading for mercy on behalf of his predecessors.
Yet, Malaysian netizens, being ever the shrewd audience, did not buy the parody. Many said that he only changed the caption in an attempt to salvage the situation, having already forked out the shoot along with other influencers.
(Source: The Star)
In this age of social media, influencers can easily affect the course of our lives in 1 to 2-minute-long videos. It is imperative to be cautious of media play and marketing tactics, so take time to digest and process your media consumption.
Often, if something sounds too good to be true - it IS too good to be true.
Big promises to make millions in months usually entail high-risk investments or trading activities. Hence, it is important to assess your own risk appetite and the possibility of things going south. Most would not be able to shoulder such risk, thus a good alternative would be to consult a registered financial planner to manage your expectations and gain more insight into the potential investment portfolio. While returns may not be as lucrative, it is a more conservative option in the long run.