Chat Safety Guide: Stay Safer While Talking to Strangers
Meeting someone new online can be enjoyable, but trust should develop gradually. These practical habits can reduce common risks without pretending that any chat service can guarantee safety.
Start with less personal information
You do not need to reveal your full name, exact address, workplace, school, daily routine or live location to have a good first conversation. Keep early conversations general.
Protect your credentials
Never share passwords, OTPs, verification codes, PINs, recovery codes, banking details or identity documents with a stranger. Stranger Talk will not make a stranger-to-stranger request for your PIN or financial credentials.
Recognise common scam patterns
Be cautious when someone creates urgency around money, gift cards, investments, cryptocurrency, tickets, giveaways or emergencies. A convincing story is not proof of identity.
Be careful with links
Unknown links can lead to phishing, malware or impersonation pages. Do not enter your Stranger Talk PIN or financial information because another user tells you a link is required for verification.
Remember that identity claims are unverified
Names, photos, ages, social handles and personal stories can be false or misleading. Do not assume a stranger is who they claim to be.
Use Leave, Next, Block and Report
You do not have to wait for behaviour to become extreme. If a conversation feels invasive, manipulative or unsafe, leave it. Use Block when you do not want further interaction and Report when the user breaks rules or creates a safety concern.
Keep community posts safe
Questions, polls, discussions and group posts can be copied. Remove identifying details before publishing sensitive situations, screenshots, phone numbers or documents.
Take extra care with offline meetings
If you decide to meet an online contact, choose a busy public place, use your own transport where possible and tell someone you trust where you will be. Do not let an online contact pressure you into a private location.
Travel Chat needs extra caution
If you use Travel Chat, avoid sharing your exact coach, seat, ticket number, boarding point or live position with someone you just met. A train selection is enough for the product's matching purpose.
If you are in immediate danger
Stranger Talk is not an emergency service. Contact appropriate local emergency services or a trusted person if there is an immediate physical threat.
More safety resources
Visit the Safety Center for the full safety policy, Community Guidelines for behaviour rules, and Report a User for reporting help.