Staying safe on Olivia Raven

What the platform checks, and what it doesn't

Photos are checked; what people say about themselves isn't. Every photo is reviewed before it appears. What members write about themselves is not checked: their age, whether they're single or in an open relationship, what their partner knows, where they live. ID verification, run by LEM Verify with a photo ID and a selfie, is an optional paid badge, so most members won't have one.

Treat every profile as a claim, not a fact. That isn't cynicism; it's the reason the rest of this page exists. And remember that profiles are shared across a network of partner sites, so the person messaging you may have joined somewhere else.

Scam warning signs

The clearest warning sign is any request for money from someone you haven't met. An Garda Síochána lists the patterns romance fraudsters follow. Be wary of anyone who:

• tries to move you off the site to instant messaging, text or phone calls early on
• asks a lot of personal questions but answers few about themselves
• builds intense closeness fast, with pet names and big feelings
• has a money problem: travel costs, a medical emergency, a business deal, an investment
• never quite manages to meet, and cancels at the last minute

Never send money, gift cards or crypto to someone you haven't met, however good the reason sounds. The romance scams and sextortion guide goes into each pattern in more depth.

Sextortion: if someone threatens to share images

Sextortion is blackmail using intimate images or video, real or faked. The Internet Watch Foundation's advice for adults is clear. Don't pay, because paying usually leads to more demands. Stop all contact and block them, but save the messages, usernames and payment details first. Then report it.

In Ireland, it is an offence under Coco's Law (the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020) to share or threaten to share an intimate image without consent. Report to any Garda station, and to Hotline.ie, which can also request removal. In the UK, report to the police on 101 and contact the Revenge Porn Helpline on 0345 6000 459 (10am to 4pm, weekdays). StopNCII.org lets adults create a digital fingerprint of an image on their own device, without uploading it, so participating platforms can block copies.

Before and during a first meeting

Meet somewhere busy and public, arrange your own way there and back, and tell a friend who you're meeting and when you'll check in. Keep the first meeting short and stay in control of your drink. If anything feels off, leave; you don't need a reason. The first-meeting guide has a fuller checklist, and the privacy checklist for women covers what to keep to yourself until then.

If something goes wrong: what to do, in order

1. If you're in danger, call 999 (or 112 in Ireland) first.
2. Stop replying to the person, but don't delete anything.
3. Save the evidence: screenshots of the profile, messages, usernames and any payment details.
4. Call your bank at once if money has gone. In the UK, 159 connects you to many banks safely.
5. Report the profile through the members help centre, with the profile name, what happened and when. Do the same if a member pressures you or seems to be under 18.
6. Report the crime using the table below.

Where to get help

Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025. In Ireland, Women's Aid's 24-hour freephone is 1800 341 900 and the national 24-hour Rape Crisis helpline is 1800 77 88 88. In England and Wales, Rape Crisis's 24/7 support line is 0808 500 2222; in Scotland, Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline is 08088 01 03 02. The UK's National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. Samaritans answer 116 123 free, day or night, in both Ireland and the UK.

Irish readers will find more local detail in the Ireland guide, and anyone exploring with a partner's knowledge can read about sexual health with more than one partner.