As college students turn to side hustles amid financial pressures, experts raise six red flags hidden in the misleading "get rich quick" schemes in today's side gig boom.
For today’s college students, the appeal of side hustles has never been stronger. Rising tuition costs, inflation and growing concerns about post-graduation job prospects are pushing more students to look for additional income streams while still earning their degrees.
The trend is accelerating rapidly online. Over the past three months, search interest in "student side hustles" has surged more than 3.5 times on TikTok, with related content attracting an estimated 227,000 daily views. But alongside legitimate opportunities, students are encountering questionable business models, misleading income claims and an endless stream of "get rich quick" content.
The timing is particularly concerning given that younger generations are increasingly turning to social media for financial guidance. Research suggests that roughly 30% of Gen Z users seek financial advice through platforms such as TikTok and WhatsApp, where content creators often operate with little oversight or accountability.
In the past, I have written for Forbes.com about side hustles where experts urge caution. Now, against that backdrop, personnel at Hopp by Wix have identified warning signs for students to recognize before investing time or money into a side hustle opportunity.
