Dating Safety Tips

• Keep Your Financial Information to Yourself and Never Send Money

Heart AppealTM is designed to offer a real-life dating experience that requires no financial transactions between members or the solicitation of any sort of payments. Regardless of the reason any person might ask you for money, never send money to them in any form whether it was through wire transfer, mobile wallets or any other digital payment systems; and please remember that these transactions can almost never be reversed.

Furthermore, never share your financial information that can be used to access your banking, payment platforms, or financial services. If another user asks you for money, please report it to us immediately by emailing support@heartappeal.com or use the report & block feature in the person’s profile. 

For tips on avoiding romance scams, check out some advice from the U.S Federal Trade Commission on the FTC website.

• Do Not Share Your Personal Information

Just as in real-life, we advise members against sharing any personally identifiable information with members whom they have just met. First get to know each other better and build trust before sharing any personal or confidential information.

Personal information such as your social security number, home or work address, or details about your daily routine and the names of places you visit should be kept private when it comes to members with whom you are still building a trusting relationship.

We care about our members and their families; this includes your children. If you are a parent, do not share any information about your children on your profile or during early communication with another user. The names of your children, where they go to school, their ages, and genders are to be kept private.

• Stay on the Platform

We recommend that our members utilize the messaging and communication tools built into our application; and not move the conversation to any other messaging app, phone, or email until they are fully comfortable with and certain of the intentions of the other user.

• Be Cautious of Long Distance and Overseas Relationships

Heart AppealTM aims to help you form meaningful connections and relationships with members that are matched to you, and these relationships are meant to develop into something real – beyond the mere online connection. 

That being said, we understand that members within a certain geographical distance eventually seek to meet in person; and that sometimes our soulmates might happen to live far away. However, we advise a high level of caution when connecting with members that live overseas. Some users may claim to be from your country but are residing outside of it and may ask for financial help to return home or any other reason – these are usually scams. 

Also, be especially cautious when someone refuses to meet in person, talk on the phone, or video call, as they may be hiding their true identity.

• Report All Suspicious and Offensive Behavior

Heart AppealTM is a place where love and happiness are created, and so we want our members to feel comfortable and enjoy their experience within the platform. 

To be able to protect you and other members like you who are here to truly build something meaningful, we ask you to immediately report members that might misuse the platform or who are behaving in an offensive or suspicious manner.

Below are examples of violations that we want to be notified about:

Requests for money or donations
Underage users
Harassment, bullying, threats, and offensive messages
Inappropriate or harmful behavior during or after meeting in person
Fraudulent profiles
Spam or solicitation including links to commercial websites or attempts to sell products or services
Hate-speech, racism, and any other sort of intolerance towards others
Sexual solicitation and prostitution
If you detect misuse, noticed a violation, or believe you are being contacted by a user intending to fraudulently use the app, please let us know immediately at support@heartappeal.com 

For more information, check out our Community Guidelines.

• Protect Your Account

When creating your account with us, please make sure to use a strong password, and double-check that your password is not saved when logging in from any device that is not your own (such as a public computer).

We will never ask you to share your username and password with us in any form of communication (email, SMS, in-app communication, etc.). If you receive such a request, please report it to us immediately.

• Don’t Rush Things

Move at your own comfortable pace and get to know the other person well before moving the conversation away from the platform. A good starting place would be having phone or video calls, and be sure to ask everything you need to eliminate any potential red flags before investing more time or meeting in person.

• Meet in Public and Stay in Public

Make sure you meet in a public and populated place for the first few dates, and never agree to meet at your or your date’s home or any private space until you know them well enough. If your date insists on moving the date to a private place, end the date.

• Tell Friends and Family About Your Plans

It is always a good idea to let someone close to you – a close friend or a family member – know about your plans, including where you are meeting and who you are meeting. Additionally, make sure they can reach you on your cell phone by having it with you and fully charged.

Heart AppealTM wants to make this easier, so check out the in-app feature to send a link to a family or friend of your location and who you are meeting. This link can be found on your message page.  

• Be in Control of Your Transportation

Do not agree to pick up or be picked up by your date for your first few meetings or until you establish trust and screen their intentions. Use your own car, a transportation app, or better yet, have a friend drop you off and pick you up. This way you can leave the date when necessary without having to worry about transportation.

• Know Your Limits

Each of us has a different level of tolerance when it comes to alcohol and drugs. Be aware of your limits so that your judgment and awareness are not impaired during your date. If at any moment your date tries to pressure you into drinking more or using drugs and you are not comfortable with it, refuse their approaches and end the date immediately.

• Don’t Leave Drinks or Personal Items Unattended

Keep an eye on your food and beverages at all times. Do not leave it unattended, and make sure you see it being poured in front of you by the bartender or brought to you by the server only. Substances that are slipped into drinks by sexual assault perpetrators are usually odorless, colorless, and tasteless. 

Always keep your personal belongings with you, including your purse, wallet, cell phone, and anything that might contain your personal information.

• If You Feel Uncomfortable, Leave

If for any reason you feel uncomfortable during your date, we encourage you to leave. Follow your instincts; if you feel something is off, don’t hesitate to ask for help from the bartender or the server.

• Consent

All sexual activity must start with consent and should include ongoing check-ins with your partner. Verbal communication can help you and your partner ensure that you respect each other’s boundaries. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and sexual activity is never owed to anyone. Do not proceed if your partner seems uncomfortable or unsure, or if your partner is unable to consent due to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Read more about it here.

• Protect Yourself

Always use condoms as they can significantly reduce the risk of contracting and passing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV. However, be aware of other STIs that be passed through skin-to-skin contact such as herpes and HPV.

• Know Your Status

Not all STIs show symptoms and you don’t want to be in the dark about your status. Stay on top of your health and prevent the spread of STIs by getting tested regularly. 

• Talk About It

Be open and communicative about sexual health and STI testing before you get physically intimate with a partner. Please note that it is a crime to knowingly pass on an STI in some places. If you need help starting this conversation with your partner, please click here for tips. Your doctor will be able to assist you with STI screening.