Verify who is asking for help
An urgent request deserves attention, not automatic obedience. Caller ID, profiles and tone can be spoofed. Stop the pressure, contact the person through a number you already know and do not use links or contacts supplied in the message. If danger is real, call official services.
Treat the request as a signal to verify
A message asking for help may be genuine, but it may also imitate someone you know. Consider wording, timing and requested consequence without accusing the sender. Do not rely on a name, photo, number or writing style alone: these are reproducible and do not prove identity.
Contact through a known channel
Stop the conversation and call the number saved in your contacts, not the number just supplied. If someone answers, ask a pre-agreed question that is not visible on social media. A new link, alternate number or reply in the same chat is not independent verification.
Share no secrets or payments
Do not send OTPs, passwords, recovery codes, banking details, documents or money to “unlock” help. A legitimate contact can accept verification; someone insisting on credentials or payment is asking for a different risk. Preserve evidence without forwarding the message.
Recognise scam pressure
Artificial urgency, secrecy, threats, guilt and requests not to tell anyone are designed to block checking. Say you will pause to verify. Do not click unexpected links, install suggested apps or move to a channel chosen by the requester.
Use two independent confirmations
Compare the request with a separate source: a known-number call, an agreed family person or an official service. Verify concrete facts, not an emotional story. Without confirmation, do not authorise access, transfers or payments; report the attempt through the relevant service in your country.
Separate scam from real danger
If someone faces immediate physical danger, do not make chat the rescue plan: call the local official number and report verifiable facts. Afterwards update contacts and write one simple rule: known channel first, decision second. My Safe Circle does not automatically authenticate the sender.
Frequently asked questions
Must I answer an urgent request immediately?
No. Stop the pressure, verify identity through a known channel and call official services if danger is real.
Can I ask for an OTP to confirm identity?
No. OTPs, passwords, banking details and payments are not evidence to share in chat.
What if the person gets angry when I verify?
Urgency or guilt does not prove identity. Pause and seek independent confirmation.
Sources consulted
Technical and safety information was checked against the following official sources.
- FTC: impersonation scams
- UK NCSC, phishing and scams
- European Commission: 112
- My Safe Circle: features and limits
Editorial disclosure: this article is published by the My Safe Circle team. FTC, NCSC and European Commission guidance is informational; sources and the product manual were checked on 8 September 2026.
STOP THE PRESSURE
Verify identity before acting.
Use a known channel and keep secrets, payments and credentials out of chat.
Discover My Safe CircleMy Safe Circle supports communication with trusted people, but does not automatically authenticate a requester and does not replace official emergency services.