Protecting your information

On BusinessOffers, the conversation comes before the deal — and what you reveal during that conversation matters. Some people you'll talk to aren't looking to transact at all; they're looking to collect information they can use or sell later. This guide covers what's safe to share, what to hold back, and how to tell the difference.

By design, BusinessOffers does not share your contact details — like your email address or phone number — with other users. Communication happens through our in-app messaging until you choose to share more. That choice is yours, and this guide is about making it carefully.

Why your information is worth protecting

Business and personal details have value to the wrong people. Collected information can be used to target you with convincing phishing later, to impersonate you or your business, or simply to be packaged and sold on. The danger isn't always an immediate scam — sometimes the goal is just to gather enough about you to set up a more convincing one down the line.

That's why caution early, with someone you haven't yet established trust with, is worth more than caution later.

Share the minimum until trust is established

You don't need to hand over much to explore whether a deal makes sense. Until you've verified who you're dealing with:

• Keep contact on-platform. There's rarely a reason to move to personal email, phone, or messaging apps with someone you've just met. On-platform messaging keeps your details private and your conversation on record.
• Share business information, not personal information. What's relevant to a deal is your business — not your personal address, personal accounts, or identity documents.
• Never share credentials, financial account details, or identity documents with another user. No legitimate counterparty needs your password, your full banking details, or copies of your ID to discuss a deal.
• Be deliberate about proprietary information. Trade secrets, detailed pricing, supplier lists, or confidential plans are assets. Share them only when there's a real reason and a party you trust — and consider whether a confidentiality agreement is appropriate first.

Recognizing someone who's fishing for data

Some signs that a "deal" may really be an attempt to harvest information:

• Lots of questions about you, little substance about the deal. They want details — about your business, your contacts, your systems — but are vague about what they're actually offering or seeking.
• Pushing to go off-platform early. A quick move to personal channels, before any deal is established, can be about getting your direct contact details rather than convenience.
• Requests that don't fit the stage. Asking for sensitive documents or detailed internal information very early, before there's any reason to.
• Generic, copy-paste messages. Outreach that could have been sent to anyone, fishing widely to see who responds.

How to protect yourself

• Let the deal justify the disclosure. Share more only as the conversation earns it — not because someone asked.
• Verify before you reveal. Confirm a real, checkable business identity before handing over anything sensitive.
• Keep it on-platform until you're confident. It protects your contact details and gives you a record.
• Trust your instincts. If someone seems more interested in your information than your offer, slow down — or step away.

This resource is general guidance, not legal advice. For anything significant, verify with official sources or a qualified professional before acting.