Trust & Safety Centre

Your Safety Is Our #1 Priority

WaBanja is built with safety at its core. Learn how to protect yourself, recognise red flags, and enjoy dating with total confidence — online and in person.

24/7
Trust & Safety Team
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Report Response
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Verified Profiles

Safety Overview

Every WaBanja member undergoes photo verification through a selfie pose challenge. Our Trust & Safety team reviews reports 24/7 and takes swift action against fake profiles, scammers, and abusive behaviour. We are committed to creating a safe dating platform for singles across Africa and around the world.

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Photo Verification
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Panic Button
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Live Location Share
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Instant Blocking

Protecting Your Profile & Personal Data

Keep your account secure and your personal information private. Never share your password, financial details, or home address with anyone you meet online — no matter how much you trust them. WaBanja staff will NEVER ask for your password.

🔒 Use a unique, strong password and enable two-factor authentication if available.
📷 Only upload photos that do not reveal your home address, workplace, or daily routines.
🚫 Never share your national ID, financial account numbers, or bank PIN with a match.
✉️ Keep conversations on WaBanja until you truly trust the person — do not move to private channels prematurely.

First Date Safety Tips

Meeting someone new is exciting! Take simple precautions to ensure every date is safe and enjoyable. Trust your instincts — if something feels wrong, it probably is.

📍 Always meet in a public place for your first few dates — coffee shops, malls, or busy restaurants are ideal.
🚗 Arrange your own transport to and from the date. Do not accept rides from someone you have just met.
👯 Tell a friend or family member where you are going, who you are meeting, and when you expect to return.
📱 Use WaBanja Live Location Share to let a trusted person track your location in real-time for up to 2 hours.
🍹 Watch your drinks and never leave them unattended. Order your own food and drinks directly from staff.
💬 Stay sober enough to make decisions and leave if you feel unsafe at any point.

Pro Tip: Enable the WaBanja Live Location Share feature before every first date. It shares your real-time GPS location with a trusted friend or family member for up to 2 hours — giving you peace of mind and a safety net.

Recognising Scams & Catfishes

Unfortunately, romance scams are a global problem. WaBanja uses photo verification to combat fake profiles, but knowing the red flags helps you stay one step ahead.

Watch out for these red flags:

🚩 They refuse to video call or always have an excuse why their camera is broken.
🚩 Their profile photos look professionally shot or reverse-image search reveals they belong to someone else.
🚩 They claim to be abroad (military, offshore worker, contractor) and quickly develop intense feelings.
🚩 They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or mobile money (Airtel Money / TNM Mpamba) under any pretext.
🚩 Stories keep changing and details don't add up across conversations.
🚩 They pressure you to leave WaBanja and communicate exclusively on WhatsApp or Telegram immediately.
NEVER send money to anyone you have met on WaBanja — no matter how convincing the story. If you have been a victim of a romance scam, report to WaBanja and also contact Malawi Police (+265 1 757 999) or Cyber Crime Unit.

How to Report, Block & Get Help

Your reports matter. Every report is reviewed by our Trust & Safety team within 24 hours. Blocking a user immediately removes them from your feed and prevents all contact.

1

How to Report a User

Go to the user's profile or chat screen → tap the three dots (⋮) → tap "Report User" → select the reason → submit.

2

How to Block a User

Go to the user's profile → tap the three dots (⋮) → tap "Block User". They will be instantly removed from your matches and messages.

3

Email Safety Team Directly

For escalated concerns, email us at safety@wabanja.com — responses within 4 hours for urgent matters.

Panic Button: In an emergency offline situation, use the in-app Panic Button to share your live GPS location and an alert with your trusted emergency contact instantly.

Emergency? Always contact local law enforcement first. Malawi Police: 199 · Ambulance: 998 · Do not wait — your life comes first.

Safety FAQs

Everything you need to know about staying safe on WaBanja.

Every member must pass a selfie pose challenge — you are shown a random pose and must submit a matching selfie. Our team and AI tools compare the selfie to your profile photos to confirm you are real. Verified members receive a blue ✓ badge.
Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable, you have every right to leave at any time. Use the Panic Button in the WaBanja app to share your live GPS location with an emergency contact. Call local emergency services (in Malawi: dial 199 for police or 998 for ambulance) if you are in immediate danger.
Yes. All reports are completely anonymous. The reported user is never notified that you submitted a report. Our Trust & Safety team reviews every report confidentially within 24 hours.
When you block a user, they are immediately removed from your matches, your feed, and your chat list. They cannot view your profile, send you messages, or see your online status. Blocking is instant and permanent unless you undo it.
Almost certainly yes. Legitimate matches never ask for money, gift cards, mobile money (Airtel Money, Mpamba), or cryptocurrency — especially if you have not met in person. Immediately stop communication, report the profile, and block the user. WaBanja staff will never ask you for money either.
Before a date, open the WaBanja app, go to Safety Tools, and select "Share My Location". Choose a trusted contact (from your phone contacts) and set a duration (up to 2 hours). They will receive a live map link. If you do not check in when the time expires, they receive an automatic alert.
The Panic Button is a safety feature that, when activated, instantly sends your live GPS coordinates and an emergency alert message to your pre-set trusted contact. It works even without an internet connection via SMS. Set it up under Profile → Safety Settings.
WaBanja photos are only visible within the app. We do not share them externally. However, be cautious about sharing additional photos outside the platform. Avoid images that show your home address, vehicle number plate, or workplace details.
Yes. WaBanja complies with data protection laws (GDPR-aligned practices). Your data is encrypted at rest and in transit. We never sell your personal data to third parties. You can request full deletion of your account and data at any time by submitting a support ticket.
For the first 2–3 dates: (1) meet only in busy public places during daylight hours; (2) use your own transport; (3) tell someone you trust exactly where you are going; (4) keep your WaBanja location share active; (5) limit alcohol consumption so you remain alert and in control.
Key red flags: they refuse to video call, their photos look too perfect or reverse-image search returns different names, they claim to be overseas and fall in love very quickly, they ask for money or gifts, and their stories are inconsistent across conversations. When in doubt, report the profile.
No. WaBanja is strictly for adults 18 years and older. If you encounter a profile that appears to be a minor, report it immediately using the Report function. We take child safety extremely seriously and will permanently ban accounts found violating this policy.
Harassment includes repeated unwanted messages after a "no", threats, sending unsolicited explicit content, body shaming, hate speech, or using the platform to stalk or intimidate. All these behaviours violate our Community Standards and may result in permanent account suspension and referral to authorities.
Our Trust & Safety team reviews all reports within 24 hours. For urgent safety matters (threats, explicit content, suspected scam targeting), responses typically happen within 2–4 hours. For life-threatening emergencies, always contact local law enforcement first.
No. WaBanja only shows your general area (city/district) to other users — never your precise GPS coordinates. The Live Location Share feature is entirely opt-in and only shares your location with a contact you specifically choose. You can stop sharing at any time.

🛡️ We're Here to Help

Still have safety questions? Our support team is available 24/7.

Contact Support