Help & safety
How PeaPool works, how to look after yourself, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong.
How PeaPool works
1. Someone posts what they're doing
A lift, a run, a gym session, a game: the host says where and when, how many places there are, and what each place costs, if anything. A lift also names the vehicle.
2. You ask for a place
Say how many places you want and, if you like, add a note. Your request holds those places while the host decides, so the last place can't be promised to two people. You can withdraw at any time.
Some hosts only accept people with a verified email. You can verify yours in Settings.
3. The host confirms or declines
You get a notification either way. Before deciding, the host can see your name, your note, whether your email is verified and any line you've written about yourself. You can message each other about the activity before and after.
4. Contact details appear once you're confirmed
Until a place is confirmed, no other member sees your phone number or email address, and guests don't see the exact meeting point or the host's payment details. Once it is, the host and that guest can see each other's, and the guest sees the exact spot on the map.
5. Settling up is tracked, not taken
PeaPool never holds or moves money. If there's a price, you pay the host directly, however their payment details say. You can mark that you've sent it, with a reference; only the host can mark it received, because only they can see their own account.
6. Afterwards, rate each other
Once it has happened, confirmed guests can rate the host and the host can rate each confirmed guest. Ratings and comments show on people's profiles.
Staying safe
Meet somewhere public
Especially the first time. A station, a car park, a busy junction, the gym entrance. If a meeting point doesn't feel right, ask to change it or don't go.
Check who you're going with
Look at their profile: ratings, comments from other people, how many things they've hosted and joined. The verified tick means they proved they own their email address. It is not an identity check.
Tell someone your plans
Send a friend the activity's link, who you're meeting and when you expect to be back. The page works without an account, though they will see only the rough area, not the exact spot.
Your location stays approximate
Anyone who isn't confirmed sees a meeting point moved up to 500m from the real one, drawn as a circle rather than a pin, and it stays put however often the page is reloaded. Distances in search are rounded to the nearest kilometre. “Near me” uses your browser's location only when you press it, rounded to about 100m.
Report and block
You can report a person from their profile, an activity from its page, or a message from the conversation. Blocking someone, from their profile, hides you from each other, stops either of you joining the other's activities and cancels any places already arranged between you. They aren't told.
What happens after a report
Reports go to PeaPool's moderators, who are told as soon as one arrives. Harassment and unsafe behaviour go to the top of the queue. A moderator may suspend the account: a suspended person can't post, join or message anyone, their upcoming activities are cancelled, and everyone booked on them is told.
You'll get a notification when your report has been reviewed. The app doesn't show the other person who reported them.
In an emergency
PeaPool is not an emergency service, and a report may not be read straight away. If you or someone else is in danger, call the emergency services first (112 in Nigeria), then tell us.
Contact support
Support requests go to PeaPool's moderators. To report a specific person, activity or message, use the report button next to it instead: that puts the evidence in front of the moderator.