Safe, and actually private
Romance scams aimed at people over 60 caused $584 million in reported losses in 2025, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Nearly every one of them starts with a romantic opening. The Porchlight Club is women-only and platonic, so we removed the entire category of risk rather than trying to police it.
How we verify members
Every member confirms she is a woman 55 or older and passes a government ID check before she can write a single letter. Names and ages on profiles match that check. Accounts that fail never reach the directory, and no one browses the Club without joining.
How moderation works
We read every report within one business day. Letters are screened for scam language and for contact details, which stay off the platform until you choose otherwise. Every room is moderated every day; the Caregiving and Starting Over rooms are also kept private, because those conversations deserve a closed door.
Community rules, short version
- Women 55 and over, verified. That's the whole door policy.
- No romance, no flirting, no matchmaking on anyone's behalf.
- No selling, no fundraising, no multi-level anything.
- Disagree freely. Be unkind once and you'll hear from us.
- What's said in Caregiving and Starting Over stays there.
Current scam alerts
Updated August 2026
“Grandchild in trouble” calls using cloned voices
A few seconds of audio is enough to imitate someone's voice now. If a call asks for bail or hospital money, hang up and ring that person back on the number you already have. Agree on a family code word this week.
Updated July 2026
Fake Club billing emails
Emails claiming your membership payment failed, asking for card details. We never ask for payment details by email. Sign in and check Billing instead.
Updated July 2026
Gift card requests from someone new
Anyone who brings up gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency is running a scam - no exceptions, however lovely her letters have been. Report her and we remove the account the same day.
Club staff will never ask you for money or gift cards
Not for shipping, not for verification, not for a member in trouble. If anyone claiming to work here asks you for money, that person does not work here.
If someone asks you for money
- 1. Stop writing back. You owe no explanation and no goodbye.
- 2. Use the Report button at the top of the letter.
- 3. Send nothing - no money, no gift cards, no bank details, no photos.
- 4. If money already left your account, call your bank, then report it at ic3.gov.
- 5. Tell us even if you're embarrassed. Especially then. These schemes are built by professionals, and you would be far from the first.