UK online services now have legal duties to give you working reporting tools and to act on illegal content. Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must let you report, must respond, and must remove illegal material. You also have separate routes outside the platform — police, Action Fraud and specialist charities — and using one does not prevent the others.
- Report on the platform first — it is fastest and gets the account removed for others.
- Screenshot before you block, if anything might go to police.
- Reporting to a charity does not automatically trigger a police report.
- You do not have to press charges to report something.
As of 13 August 2026, Fab Guys has 129 active profiles in the UK, of which 80 were online in the last few minutes. The median age is 36 and 16% have a verified photo. Messaging is free.
Figures are read directly from the live database at page load and are not rounded up.
Where to report what
| What happened | Report to | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Harassment or abuse in chat | The platform, then Galop | 0800 999 5428 |
| Threats of violence | Police | 101, or 999 if immediate |
| Money taken or requested | Action Fraud | 0300 123 2040 |
| Intimate images shared or threatened | Revenge Porn Helpline + police | Free, UK-wide |
| Hate speech or hate crime | Police or Galop | 101 / 0800 999 5428 |
| Suspected under-18 account | The platform, urgently | Report button |
| Platform ignoring reports | Ofcom | Regulator for online safety |
What the Online Safety Act gives you
The Act places duties on user-to-user services operating in the UK. Ofcom has published specific guidance for dating and social discovery services. In practical terms you should expect:
- A reporting mechanism that works and is easy to find on profiles and in conversations.
- Action on illegal content, including threats, harassment and intimate image abuse.
- Age assurance to keep under-18s off adult services.
- A written risk assessment the service has actually carried out.
If a platform has no working report function or ignores reports entirely, that is a matter for Ofcom rather than something you have to accept.
How to report well
- Screenshot first — the messages, their profile, usernames, any payment details. Blocking can remove your access to the history.
- Use the in-app report with specifics: what happened, roughly when, what you want done.
- Block afterwards, not before, so you still have the evidence.
- Note any reference number the platform or police give you.
- Report externally too if a crime may have been committed — the two are independent.
What happens after
On a well-run platform, a report goes to a person rather than a filter. On Fab Guys reports are human-reviewed with a 24-hour target and the person reported is never told who filed it — anonymity for the reporter is standard practice and worth checking anywhere you use.
You are not usually told the outcome in detail, largely for data protection reasons. That is normal rather than a sign nothing happened.
Hate crime specifically
A hate crime is any criminal offence perceived by the victim, or anyone else, as motivated by hostility toward sexual orientation or gender identity. That perception is the test — you do not have to prove motive.
- Report to police on 101, online, or 999 if it is happening now.
- Or report through Galop if you would rather not approach police.
- Third-party reporting centres exist in most areas.
- Reporting does not commit you to giving evidence.
Frequently asked questions
What are my rights when reporting abuse online in the UK?
Under the Online Safety Act, UK services must provide working reporting tools and act on illegal content. You can also report externally to police, Action Fraud or specialist charities, and those routes are independent of each other.
Should I block or report first?
Screenshot, then report, then block. Blocking first can remove your access to the message history you may need.
Will the person know I reported them?
On a well-run platform, no. Reporter anonymity is standard — on Fab Guys the person reported is never told who filed it.
What if the platform does nothing?
Ofcom regulates online safety in the UK, and a service with no working report function or that systematically ignores reports is failing its duties. Serious criminal matters should also go to police directly.
Do I have to go to the police?
No. Galop, Switchboard and the Revenge Porn Helpline all support people who choose not to involve police, and contacting them does not trigger a police report.
Is reporting worth it if nothing seems to happen?
Yes. Reports remove accounts before they reach the next person, and patterns across multiple reports are what make an operation visible to platforms and police.