Safety Tips

1. Protecting Your Profile

Your profile is your first impression — but it also contains personal information. Take these steps to protect it:

• Use the Privacy Controls in Settings to choose who can see your photos, your city, and your profile — you can restrict visibility at any time
• Do not include your full name, phone number, home address, workplace, or social media handles in your bio or photos
• Avoid posting photos that reveal your exact home or work location (e.g., your house exterior, gated community sign, or office building)
• Use our Hide from Contacts feature to prevent people you know from finding your profile if you prefer privacy
• Regularly review which information is publicly visible through Settings → Profile Privacy

2. Communicating Safely

Until you have built trust with someone, keep all conversations within the Sacha Pyar app:

• Use in-app messaging and video calls — this protects your personal phone number and keeps a record if you ever need to report an issue
• Do not share your personal phone number, WhatsApp, or any social media profile in the early stages of a conversation
• Be cautious about sharing details of your daily routine, commute, or places you visit regularly
• If anyone immediately pushes you to move the conversation off the app, this is a warning sign — legitimate people understand the need for caution
• Take your time. There is no rush to share personal details — the right person will respect your pace

3. Recognising Warning Signs

Be alert to the following behaviours — they may indicate a scammer, catfish, or bad actor:

• Too good to be true: Profile seems unusually perfect; photos look professionally taken or like stock images
• Rushing intimacy: Expresses very strong feelings or love very quickly, before you have really connected
• Avoids video calls: Repeatedly makes excuses to avoid a live video call or face-to-face meeting
• Asks for money: Any request for money, gift cards, financial help, or investment — regardless of the reason given — is a scam
• Inconsistent stories: Details about their life, family, job, or location change or do not add up
• Pushes to leave the app: Urgently wants to switch to WhatsApp or another platform before you are comfortable
• Requests personal information early: Asks for your CNIC number, bank details, or home address very early in the conversation

4. Before Meeting Someone

When you decide you are ready to meet someone in person, take these steps first:

• Have several video calls before agreeing to meet — this confirms the person looks like their photos and helps build genuine trust
• Look up the person on LinkedIn or other professional platforms to confirm their stated profession and background
• Tell a trusted family member or close friend who you are meeting, where, and when — share the person's name and profile link if possible
• Agree on the meeting details in advance: the exact location, time, and how long you plan to meet
• Ensure your phone is fully charged before the meeting
• Arrange your own transport to and from the meeting — do not rely on the other person for a ride on a first meeting

5. Your First Meeting

For a first in-person meeting, we recommend the following:

• Choose a public place: A café, restaurant, or busy park in a familiar area of your city — never a private home or secluded location
• Meet during the day: Daytime meetings in well-lit, populated areas are safest for a first encounter
• Bring a family member or friend if you wish: There is no shame in this — it is a culturally accepted and sensible precaution
• Let someone know when you have arrived safely and when you expect to leave
• Do not leave your food or drink unattended at any point
• Trust your feelings — if something feels wrong at any point, leave. You do not owe anyone an explanation
• Do not feel pressured to share personal details, make a decision, or commit to anything in a first meeting

6. Using Our Safety Tools

Sacha Pyar provides several tools designed to keep you safe — please use them:

• Report a profile: Tap the three-dot menu on any profile and select "Report". Reports are confidential and reviewed within 2 hours
• Block a member: Blocking someone immediately prevents them from viewing your profile or contacting you. They are not notified
• Hide your profile: Temporarily hide your profile from search results without losing your matches or messages
• Privacy settings: Control who can see your photos, your location, your last active time, and your profile details
• Safety check-in: Use the in-app Safety Check-In feature when going on a first meeting — it alerts a trusted contact if you do not check in
• Verified badge: Only communicate with members who carry the Verified badge — it confirms their identity has been checked

7. Rishta & Family Safety

If your family is involved in your search through Rishta Mode, share these tips with them as well:

• Family members should also avoid sharing personal contact details or home addresses with prospective families until a reasonable level of trust is established
• Any initial family-to-family contact should take place through the app, or via phone calls — not home visits until both families are comfortable
• Do not share financial information, property details, or dowry discussions through the Platform
• Be cautious of families who rush the process or apply pressure — genuine families will always respect your pace
• Conduct background verification of the prospective family through mutual community contacts where possible

8. Trust Your Instincts

Your instincts are one of the most powerful safety tools you have. If something feels wrong, it probably is:

• You are never obligated to respond to, meet, or continue communicating with anyone on this platform
• It is completely acceptable — and encouraged — to end a conversation that makes you uncomfortable, without explanation
• Do not let social pressure, fear of being rude, or eagerness to find a match override your gut feeling
• If a family member is pressuring you into a match you are not comfortable with, reach out to a trusted community elder or, if necessary, a support organisation
• Your safety and wellbeing always come first — the right match will still be there when you are ready

9. Emergency Contacts

If you are ever in immediate danger or a situation feels unsafe:

• Emergency services: Call 15 (Police) or 115 (Rescue) immediately
• Sacha Pyar Safety Team: safety@sachapyar.com — we respond to urgent matters within 2 hours, 24/7
• Rozan Counselling Helpline: 051-2890505 (psychological support and safety guidance)
• Umang Helpline: 0317-4288665 (support for women facing harassment or abuse)