Safety tips

Before you meet

• Keep chatting in TruFriend at first. Take your time before sharing your phone number, social media or workplace.
• Check that the plan makes sense. If someone pushes to change the plan at the last minute, or to meet somewhere private, say no.
• Tell someone you trust where you’re going, who you’re meeting and when you expect to be back.

When you meet

• Meet in a busy public place, such as a café, a restaurant, a mall or a popular park, during opening hours.
• Get there and back on your own. Use your own car, a taxi, the Metro or a ride-hailing app, and don’t accept a lift from someone you’ve just met.
• Stay in control of your belongings, and leave whenever you feel uncomfortable. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.

Money and scams

• Never send money, gift cards or bank details to someone you’ve met on TruFriend, whatever the story.
• Be wary of anyone selling something: investments, crypto, jobs, visas or products. TruFriend is for friendship, not business.
• Don’t click links or share codes (such as one-time passwords) that someone sends you.

Meetup guidelines

TruFriend doesn’t organise, host or ticket meetups: members arrange their own plans. When you do, please keep to these guidelines.

• Public, licensed places only. Cafés, restaurants, malls, sports clubs, parks and cultural venues during their opening hours. Never a home, hotel room or private address.
• Keep plans alcohol-free. Choose places and activities where no one is expected to drink, so everyone feels comfortable.
• Ask before taking or sharing photos. In the UAE, photographing people or posting their pictures without consent is against the law. Always ask first, and remove a photo if someone asks you to.
• Respect local customs. Dress modestly in public places, keep behaviour respectful, and follow the rules of the venue.
• Plan around Ramadan. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in public during fasting hours, and suggest plans after iftar instead.
• Keep it small and free of pressure. No selling, fundraising, collecting money or promoting causes at a meetup. Anyone can leave at any time.

Friendship only

TruFriend is not a dating app. Romantic or sexual messages are not allowed. If someone makes you uncomfortable, you don’t need to reply.

Report and block

In any introduction or conversation, choose Report or block. Blocking is instant: you won’t see each other again and neither of you can send messages. Reports go to a real person on the TruFriend team, who reviews the recent messages and can warn, restrict or suspend the account. The other person is never told who reported them.

Child safety standards

TruFriend is for grown-ups aged 18 and over only. We have zero tolerance for child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, and any sexual content involving a minor.

• 18 and over only. Every member confirms their age when they join, and every profile photo is checked before other members see it. If we believe an account belongs to someone under 18, we remove it.
• Zero tolerance. Any account that shares, asks for or promotes content that sexualises or exploits a child is banned permanently.
• Report it in the app. Choose Report or block on any profile, introduction or conversation. Every report is reviewed by a real person on the TruFriend team.
• We report to the authorities. We report child sexual abuse material and suspected exploitation to the relevant national authorities, and we cooperate fully with law enforcement.
• Questions about child safety can be sent to our team through the contact page.

If you’re in danger

Call 999 for the police in the UAE. To report online fraud or blackmail, use the Dubai Police eCrime service or the UAE Ministry of Interior’s eCrime platform, listed on the UAE government portal. Then let us know through the app so we can act on the account.

In Saudi Arabia, call 911 in an emergency. Online fraud, harassment or blackmail can be reported through the Ministry of Interior’s Kollona Amn app.

In Kuwait, call 112 in an emergency. Online fraud, harassment or blackmail can be reported to the Ministry of Interior.

In Egypt, call 122 for the police or 123 for an ambulance. Online fraud, harassment or blackmail can be reported to the Ministry of Interior.