Safety Tips

A verified phone badge means the member confirmed a real mobile number with us. It doesn't prove who they are — only that the number is theirs. Treat a missing badge as a reason to slow down, not an automatic red flag.

Photos are the other check. If someone only has one heavily edited or obviously professional photo, ask for a quick video call before you agree to meet.

Chat on Lovora for as long as you can. Messages, blocks and reports all work here, and our team can review them. Moving to WhatsApp, SMS or a private email early on is one of the most common signs of a scam account — a genuine person won't mind waiting.

Don't send M-PESA, airtime, gift cards or gifts to someone you haven't met in person, however convincing or urgent the story. Emergency hospital bills, a stuck taxi, a "small loan" to be repaid — these are scams.

The same applies to investments, crypto tips, betting tips and "business opportunities" a new match conveniently mentions. Report the profile right away and don't engage.

Keep your home address, workplace, daily routine, ID number, bank details and passwords private. Don't share your location pin or send photos that show your street, house number, car plate or workplace signage. If you send a photo, strip the location data first — most cameras tag every picture with where it was taken.

You never owe anyone a reply, a date or a photo. Persistent asking for nudes, guilt-tripping after you say no, or threats to share your photos are grounds for an immediate report and block. If a match turns hostile when you set a boundary, that's the answer you needed.

For a first meeting choose a busy public place during daylight hours — a café or mall works well — and keep it short so it's easy to leave. Arrange your own transport there and back, and don't let someone else drive you somewhere you can't get out of.

Tell a friend or family member where you're going, who you're meeting and when you'll be back. Share a live location or set a check-in time. If plans change, tell that person too.

Go easy on alcohol and never leave a drink unattended. Stay sober enough to make decisions and get home safely, and don't rely on your date for your ride home on a first meeting.

If something feels off, it probably is. You can end a chat, unmatch, block or report at any time — no explanation needed, and you don't have to be polite at the expense of your safety. Leaving early from a date is always allowed.

Use Report on the profile or message so we can act on it — reports are private and reviewed by our team. Block stops the person from contacting you or seeing you again.

If you're ever in immediate danger, call 999 or 112 for police. For support after gender-based violence, the Gender Violence Recovery Centre helpline is 1195 (toll-free). Save both numbers before your first date, and keep your phone charged and with you.

• Chat in the app for at least a few days, and try a video call.
• Check the phone-verification badge and look for consistent photos.
• Agree on a busy public place, in daylight, that you can leave any time.
• Tell someone where you'll be and set a check-in time.
• Bring your own transport and enough cash to get home.
• Keep money, ID and personal details to yourself.