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Last updated 2026-04-27

Safety guide

Adult-oriented services occupy a legal grey area in South Africa. Compano is a directory - we do not coordinate, monitor, or intervene in bookings. This page distils the operating procedure we recommend for both clients and advertisers, plus the red flags we ask you to report. For emergencies, call the South African Police Service on 10111. Trafficking concerns: call the South African Human Trafficking Hotline on 0800 222 777.

For clients

  • Verify reviews. Look for the "Verified reviewer" badge - those reviewers have completed identity verification with the platform, and their reviews have a much lower fraud rate. Multiple recent reviews from different verified reviewers is the gold standard.
  • Screen via in-platform messaging first. Use Compano messages rather than jumping straight to WhatsApp or SMS - the platform retains a tamper-evident record if anything goes wrong.
  • Share your location with a trusted contact. Tell someone the address, the time, and the expected duration. Agree a check-in window after the meeting.
  • Bring exactly the agreed amount. Cash in an envelope; do not flash additional notes. Confirm the rate in writing before you arrive.
  • Trust your instincts. If something feels off when you arrive - wrong person, signs of duress, unfamiliar third parties - leave. No booking is worth the risk.

For advertisers

  • Screen with a few standard questions. Ask for a real name and a way to reach the client outside the booking. Never accept a booking from someone who refuses every screening question.
  • Use the blacklist. Report abusive, violent, time-wasting, or non-paying clients via the dashboard. Reports are cross-checked against verification data so a banned client cannot simply create a new profile.
  • Tell someone where you are. A trusted friend should know the booking time, the address, and a safe-word you will text mid-booking. If you don’t text, they escalate.
  • Never travel alone to an unverified address. For outcalls, prefer hotels with a manned reception or require a video call before departure.

Red flags to report

  • A profile claims to be verified but the badge is absent - the two are linked. Report it here.
  • Photos that look stolen or are inconsistent with other photos on the same profile.
  • A reviewer who has only ever reviewed one provider and uses identical phrasing across multiple sites.
  • Pressure to move off-platform immediately, especially with urgency ("my battery is dying, give me your WhatsApp").
  • Any indication of trafficking, coercion, or a minor - call the Human Trafficking Hotline on 0800 222 777.

If something goes wrong

Critical incidents go to the South African Police Service on 10111. Trafficking concerns: call the South African Human Trafficking Hotline on 0800 222 777. For platform content issues - fake profiles, abusive messages, or stolen photos - use the abuse report form or the report buttons on every profile, review, and message. Compano reviews reported content but does not provide an emergency response service.

Your data rights are covered separately on the data rights page.