Safety Policy

No Longer Lonely Commitment to Safety

Nolongerlonely.com takes the security and safety of its members very seriously.  While the vast majority of users that apply for membership on the site have good intentions and are honest in their profile, there will inevitably be instances of profiles submitted that are not honest and well-intentioned.  As webmaster I will do everything in my power to prevent such a user from accessing the site but I cannot guarantee that everyone on the site is honest in their profile and has good intentions.  The anonymity of the Internet makes a site such as this possible but it also introduces security questions that require users to be vigilant and cautious.  Nolongerlonely.com is committed to creating a safe and secure place to enable personal relationships but urges all users to be vigilant and take precautions as they use the site.

Security of Personal Information

Nolongerlonely.com will never release or make available a user’s email address to another user or outside party.  As a user on the site the only identifiable information you provide will be your city/state, a photo should you choose to upload one, and whatever you indicate in your profile essays.  Any identifying information in a user’s profile such as an email address, instant messenger ID, URL, or place of employment will be removed by the webmaster. Nolongerlonely urges its users to not reveal personal information until a level of trust has been achieved.  The same rules that would govern giving out your phone number to strangers in person should apply online.

What to Look Out For

The most common instances of misuse of the site include:

• Members sending harassing or offensive emails

Harassment and offensive messages will not be tolerated.  If this happens you are urged to contact the webmaster (provide username and harassing message if possible) and to block the user from further contact.  Warnings will be issued and in severe cases a user will be removed.

• Criminals or other “shady” characters using the service

Criminal background checks are not performed by NLL.  The mentally ill community may be perceived as a vulnerable group and a likely target of predators.  Suspicion and vigilance are necessary.

• Solicitation or other types of romance scams

This is the most common instance of site misuse that users will face.  Illegal solicitation is a billion dollar industry on the Internet.  The most notorious and frequent forms emanate from West Africa or Russia and usually involve promises of future riches for small upfront payments.  Other scams describe desperate situations in need of money (being stranded in a foreign country or needing money to escape a dangerous situation).  These scammers will usually request payment through Western Union or your credit card numbers.  If someone solicits money NEVER GIVE MONEY, CREDIT CARD NUMBERS OR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBERS no matter what the explanation.  This behavior must be reported immediately to the webmaster.  As webmaster I can eliminate most users perpetrating these schemes by blocking IP addresses from the most commonly offending countries but it is possible that you may develop a productive relationship with someone and at some point it could degenerate into a solicitation such as this.  Some things to look out for:

• Broken English and poor grammar
• Upfront promises of love and affection before getting to know you
• Emails that are inconsistent with their profile description (especially their location)
• Personal stories that seem very unlikely

These scammers can be very persuasive and it may be very difficult for someone who has cultivated a relationship with one of them to admit they have been duped.  There are countless instances of very reputable and accomplished people falling for these schemes.  Once again vigilance is very necessary and any suspicious activity reported to the webmaster immediately.  Scammers will be instantly removed (along with any correspondence they have created) and law enforcement will be notified.  The site also maintains a list of usernames and email addresses of offending members that have been removed from the site under the “Scam Artist Removed” link.

• Married people, minors or somewhat without an MI using the service

A person to use the site must be 18, have a diagnosed mental illness, and be forthcoming about their relationship status.  It is possible someone will lie about this information.

• Members misbehaving or acting inappropriately after meeting in person

In order to protect others on the site it is important to report any inappropriate or illegal behavior of a user met through NLL. 

Other Dating Tips

There are several other tips and precautions available to users who want a safe and productive experience on Nolongerlonely available through the “Dating Tips” link (http://www.nolongerlonely.com/datingtips.php).