Dating on WhatsApp safely: a practical guide

Moving a conversation to WhatsApp feels personal, and that is the point. It also means the other person gets your phone number, which is linked to a lot more of your life than a dating profile is.

These tips help whether you met someone on Whindr, on another app or anywhere else.

Before you share your number

Take a moment first. Share your number once you have chatted a little and it feels right, not because someone pushes for it.
Check what your number reveals. Search it yourself: it may be linked to social media, payment apps or old listings.
Tighten your WhatsApp privacy. Under Settings → Privacy, set Profile photo, About and Last seen to "My contacts", and turn on "Silence unknown callers".

Protect your WhatsApp account

Never forward the 6-digit code WhatsApp sends you by SMS. Anyone who asks for it, whatever the excuse, is trying to take over your account. Turn on two-step verification under Settings → Account so a stolen code alone is not enough.

On Whindr it works the other way round: to log in, you send a code that is shown on your own screen to our WhatsApp number. Whindr never asks you to send a code that someone else gave you.

Warning signs of a romance scam

Strong feelings very fast, lots of compliments and pressure to commit.
Always an excuse not to video call or meet.
A sudden emergency: a hospital bill, customs fees, a stuck flight, a blocked bank account.
Any request for money, gift cards or crypto, or a "great investment" they want to show you.
Pushing you to an unknown link or app, or asking for intimate photos early on.

One sign alone does not prove anything. Several together, especially a request for money, are reason enough to stop.

If someone threatens to share your photos

This is called sextortion, and it is a crime. Do not pay: paying rarely ends it. Stop replying, keep screenshots of the chat and the profile, report the account to WhatsApp and contact the police. StopNCII.org can help stop intimate images from being shared on many large platforms.

Your first date

Have a short video call first, so you know the person matches their photos.
Meet in a busy public place and get there and back on your own.
Tell a friend where you are going, who you are meeting and when you expect to be back.
Keep an eye on your drink and on how much you drink.
You can leave at any time. You do not owe anyone an explanation.

Report and block

On WhatsApp, open the chat, tap the name and choose Block or Report. On Whindr, you can report any profile from the app, for example a fake profile, harassment or someone who looks under 18. The team reviews every report.

Date on WhatsApp, on your terms

On Whindr your number is never public. Only a mutual match who unlocks it can see it.

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