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Making money online?
09/19/25 - Friday
Hey Frugal Friends,
Scammers love to hang out where hope and hustle meet. And right now, there’s no better bait than the promise of “easy money online.”
TikTok side hustle gurus and too-good-to-be-true job listings, aren’t just selling you a dream, they’re looking to cash in on your trust.
And boy, did we find a textbook example on TikTok last month.
Kayla Sansom is @kaylalaughsoutloud on social, and is a self-proclaimed mystery shopping expert who records her “mystery shops” and sells a $99 per month course on how to make money mystery shopping.
Why did we put mystery shopping in quotations? Because it turns out THEY WEREN’T REAL!
We cover the whole scandal and how you can protect yourself from similar influencer scams in our latest episode
Watch Mystery Shopping SCAMMER EXPOSED | Don't Fall For This Mystery Shop Fraud on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
🛒 Skip the Scams, Keep the Savings
You can’t make money overnight, but you can make your money go further by never paying full price.
That’s where Brad’s Deals comes in. Their team hunts down the best, most reliable discounts on everything from tech to home essentials, so you know you’re getting real savings you can trust.
🥪 Our favorite meal planning hack
While we’re on the topic of protecting your money, let’s talk about one of the best ways to save it: meal planning.
Our Meal Planning Spreadsheet is designed to take the stress (and waste!) out of food budgeting.
It’s got everything you need from a favorite recipe tracker (so you never forget your go-tos), to fridge/pantry/freezer inventory sheets and even 1,000 recipe ideas to keep things fresh.
It’s a small tool that helps you make smarter choices every week, without the overwhelm!
⚠️ I’ve been scammed! Now What!?
If you’ve been legit scammed (like Jill was!) here are your next steps:
Stop Contact & Gather Evidence
Don’t message the scammer back. Instead, take screenshots of messages, profiles, payment receipts, or anything that shows what happened.Report It Immediately
To the platform (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.)—use their built-in “Report” feature.
To your bank or payment app—ask if you can reverse or dispute the charge.
In the U.S., file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Protect Your Accounts
Change your passwords (especially if you shared any info).
Turn on two-factor authentication.
Watch out for suspicious activity on your email or bank accounts.
Learn & Share
Scams thrive in silence. Telling friends or posting about what happened helps others avoid the same trap.
The truth? Making money online can be real, but it’s never instant, secret, or dependent on one “guru.”
Protect yourself, protect your wallet, and if you want to see these scams broken down with real-life examples, check out the full video here ⬇️
This Week on Frugal Friends
On Tuesday, we review 21 Awful Money Habits That Will Keep You Broke, and how to break those habits!
Today’s drop is Mystery Shopping SCAMMER EXPOSED | Don't Fall For This Mystery Shop Fraud where we uncover an example of a make money online scammer and review how to spot the red flags.
Tune in wherever you get podcasts and let us know what you thought of the episode over on our latest Instagram post!
Stay smart & scam-free,
Jen
**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.