Dating safety tips

Take your time in chat. People who rush you toward meeting up, moving to another messaging app, or sharing personal details are showing you something useful about themselves.

• Ask for a short voice note or a live photo — it's a simple reality check.
• Look for consistency: does their story stay the same across conversations? Do their photos look like the same person in the same life?
• Search their name and photos elsewhere online. A profile with no trace anywhere is worth a second thought.
• Never send money, gift cards, or crypto — no matter the emergency described. This is the single most common dating scam.

You control how much you reveal and when. Early chats don't need your home address, workplace, daily routine, financial details, or identity documents.

• Nearrby only ever shows an approximate distance band (like "1–3 km"), never your exact coordinates — keep it that way by not sharing your address in chat.
• Check your photos for accidental clues: street signs, house numbers, your car's plate, your workplace badge.
• Keep conversations in the app until you genuinely trust the person.
• Never share passwords, verification codes, or banking details with a match.

A good first meeting is public, short, and on your own terms. You never owe anyone a longer evening than you want to give.

• Pick a busy public place — a café, bar, or park in daylight. Not their home, not yours, not an isolated spot.
• Arrange your own transport both ways, so you can leave whenever you like without depending on them.
• Tell a friend who you're meeting, where, and when. Share your live location with them and agree on a check-in time.
• Watch your drink — order it yourself, see it poured, and don't leave it unattended.
• Stay sober enough to judge. Your instincts are the tool you came with.
• Keep the first meeting short. A coffee that goes well can always become dinner another day.

If something feels off, that's reason enough. You don't need proof, an excuse, or a polite exit line. Leave, call someone, or ask staff at the venue for help — venues take this seriously and are used to it.

Pressure of any kind — physical, emotional, or financial — is not something to negotiate with. Get to a public space and contact someone you trust.

Anyone can be blocked directly from their profile, which stops all messages from them immediately. If someone harasses you, asks for money, appears to be a minor, or misrepresents who they are, report it to us at contact@nearrby.app so we can act on the account.

Our full conduct rules — including the 18+ requirement and prohibited behaviour — are in the Terms of Service.

If you are in immediate danger, contact your local emergency number first. Reporting to us comes after you are safe.