What to know
f you’ve been seeing these cash drop videos and wondering if they’re legit, they are — creators like Raphaël (@CashChaseCa) and Wadeer Sattari are doing drops ranging from $50 to over $500.
The money doesn’t just come out of nowhere either — it’s funded through brand deals, client work and even extra tips, which they choose to turn into giveaways as a way of paying it forward.
As for how it works, they’ll hide cash around Toronto (and sometimes across Canada) and post clues online — Raphaël might wait and share who found it, while Sattari keeps it more private, asking people to DM or comment instead.
If your ‘For You’ page is flooded with creators hiding cash around the city and if you’ve ever questioned whether it’s legit (or where the money actually comes from), the people behind the trend are weighing in.
@wadeers Another 695$ for the lucky ones #toronto #viral #viralvideo #tiktok #fyp #fypシ #money #tiktokviral #lovestory ♬ Are You Ready – BAD NINJA
With the cost of living rising without a living wage to match, many Canadians are hungry for money, inspiring content creators to hide cash around the city for lucky Torontonians to find.
From $50 to over $500, these giveaways help provide relief to many Torontonians who are struggling to make ends meet.
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Why do these creators hide money for people to find?
For Raphaël, creator of @CashChaseCa on TikTok and Instagram, hiding money for others was a win-win situation for him and those who find the cash. He can secure paid partnerships with companies to fund his work and time, and the person who finds the cash gets free money.
The idea didn’t come up just like that; he saw it was a trend in France, and when he saw everyone’s happiness in those videos, he wished to do the same for others.
What keeps Raphaël going in these projects is the happiness he sees in those who find the money. He also found others paying it forward so wholesome, “One time, I had someone who [after I gave] it to him, he directly took it and [gave] it to a homeless guy.”
Wadeer Sattari, CEO of Wadeers, a multi-creative production company, attributes his upbringing to his decision to give back. Sattari was an art professor in Afghanistan, and then he moved to Toronto in late 2014. After trying out a 9 to 5 job and realizing it wasn’t for him, he opened his own business. Now, he produces content for companies like Tim Hortons and Hopp.
Having moved his life and changed his line of work from Afghanistan to Toronto, he realized how “hungry” everyone is for money. “Everybody’s struggling [financially], like nobody has a financial or stable financial [situation] at the moment.” He continued that when he makes extra money, he’d rather give it to those who need it through his account, Wadeers.
Sattari recalled his most rewarding moment: earning $750 by creating content for BANG! energy drink on top of a $750 profit. Sattari decided to give a mother who found the cash the full $1500 and cried alongside her.
“I don’t have a mom, she got killed… This stuff helps me feel more [honoured] and [happier] to help people… At the end of the day, we are all family, we are all friends, we are all from the same Earth. We are helping Earth grow,” Sattari told Now Toronto.
How do they fund these projects?
Raphaël has many national and international brand deals and uses them to give cash drops beyond the GTA, across Canada.
Sattari also gets support from others, mostly from international and national brands and clients. For example, this content creation stemmed from a model giving him an extra tip for photographing her, and he decided to pay it forward. “If I get any extra tip from my work… It’s my honour to receive that tip,” Sattari said.
Where can you find these cash drops?
Raphaël travels a lot, so he tries to find the hot spots in every city. He visits both big and small cities to benefit everyone.
He hopes to have other people help him – for which anyone can apply – and that will help Torontonians possibly secure more drops. To qualify for the job, all applicants have to do is secure partnerships and film the videos.
Sattari mostly limits himself to Scarborough, but has sometimes done drops downtown at Sugar Beach. He checks out the local area and their population and decides from there. If he’s out for food, he might sometimes drop some in Mississauga or Hamilton.
He says he tries to do two or more cash drops a week.
What happens when you find the money?
If you chase a drop from Raphaël’s @CashChaseCa he tends to wait for someone to grab the cash. Once you find the money, Raphaël will take a picture of you and put it on his story so others know the cash has been found.
Sometimes, he won’t wait for the cash to be found and will wait for someone to reach out to him by DM or write in the comments to let him know the cash has been found.
By chasing a Wadeers’ cash drop, you will not be photographed. Sattari faced a dilemma when he considered starting this account. By not posting people finding the cash, some social media users may believe he’s a scammer. But by posting people, he might be catching them at a very vulnerable time. Ultimately, he decided not to photograph anyone and wait for someone to DM him or comment that they found the money.