Help Center and FAQs

This section provides detailed information about Hard Call’s services, processes, privacy safeguards, and limitations. Questions are grouped by topic and by service to make it easier to find what applies to your situation. If you are unsure where to start, begin with the general questions and continue through the service-specific sections.

General Questions About Hard Call

  • Hard Call is a professionally moderated communication service that helps people say difficult things clearly, privately, and without confrontation. Messages are reviewed for tone, empathy, and safety before being delivered.

  • People who need to communicate something difficult but feel anxious, overwhelmed, or concerned about escalation. This includes individuals, as well as clients referred by therapists, attorneys, or mediators.

  • No. Hard Call does not provide therapy, legal advice, or mediation. It is a communication service only and does not establish any professional-client relationship.

  • No. A recipient may choose not to respond. Silence is treated as a valid outcome and can still provide clarity or closure.

How the Process Works

  • Your message is reviewed by a trained Editor for tone, clarity, and safety. If changes are suggested, you must approve the final version before anything is sent. No message is ever sent without your approval.

  • No. Editors may suggest tone or wording adjustments to reduce escalation, but meaning, intent, and factual content remain yours. You are always in control of the final message.

  • That depends on the service you choose and your preferences. Replies, when allowed, are reviewed for safety before being shared with you.

Privacy, Anonymity, and Safety

  • Recipients never receive your contact information. All communication is handled through Hard Call’s secure platform.

  • Hard Call uses HIPAA-level data protection standards, including encryption in transit and at rest. Message content is deleted after a defined retention period.

  • Messages are withheld and reviewed. If a message presents a risk of harm, our Red Flag Escalation Process is triggered to protect everyone involved.

Service-Specific FAQs

Discreet Message

  • When you need to say one important thing clearly without engaging in ongoing dialogue.

  • One message from you and one optional reply from the recipient.

  • Yes. You may choose to remain anonymous or disclose your identity.

Service-Specific FAQs

Discreet Exchange

  • When the situation is emotionally charged and you anticipate a reply but want pacing, moderation, and protection.

  • Up to five total messages, three from you and two from the recipient. You always send the final message.

Service-Specific FAQs

Discreet Exchange with Verbal Advocacy

  • A trained Editor acts as a neutral verbal advocate during a live call, delivering only statements and questions you have approved in advance.

  • No. Your identity must be disclosed to the recipient for live communication to occur.

  • The service concludes at the Discreet Message level ($19.95) and billing adjusts accordingly.

Payment and Billing

  • All Discreet services begin at the Discreet Message level. Higher-tier services are only fully charged if the recipient agrees to engage.

  • Only the Discreet Message fee is charged. Any remaining authorization is released.

  • Charges reflect service engagement rather than outcomes. The staged authorization approach ensures you are not charged for services that cannot proceed.

Eligibility, Limits, and When Not to Use Hard Call

  • Hard Call is available to adults aged 18 and over who wish to communicate with another adult. By using the service, you confirm that both you and the recipient meet this requirement. Hard Call does not permit communication with minors under any circumstances.

  • Yes. Hard Call cannot be used in situations involving immediate danger, active crisis, or credible risk of harm to yourself or others. The service is not a substitute for emergency services, crisis intervention, or professional care when safety is at risk.

    If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm, fear for your safety, or believe someone else is in danger, Hard Call is not appropriate.

    If a request cannot be handled safely or responsibly, Hard Call will decline to proceed and notify the user. In such cases, users are encouraged to seek appropriate professional or emergency support.

  • No. The service is designed for respectful communication, not coercion or emotional harm.

  • No. Hard Call does not allow messages that are threatening, abusive, coercive, manipulative, or intended to intimidate or pressure another person. Messages are reviewed before delivery, and any content that violates these standards will not be sent.

    The platform is designed to reduce harm and escalation, not to enable confrontation or repeated unwanted contact.

    If a request cannot be handled safely or responsibly, Hard Call will decline to proceed and notify the user. In such cases, users are encouraged to seek appropriate professional or emergency support.

  • No. Hard Call enforces contact limitations to prevent harassment or emotional escalation. Cooling-off periods apply between communications with the same recipient. These limits exist to protect both the sender and the recipient and to ensure communication remains intentional and respectful.

  • No. Submission does not guarantee delivery. All messages must meet eligibility, safety, and ethical standards. Hard Call reserves the right to decline, pause, or end a service if it cannot be delivered responsibly.

  • Hard Call does not:

    • Provide therapy, counseling, legal advice, or mediation

    • Guarantee reconciliation, agreement, or closure

    • Manage emergencies, crises, or safety situations

    • Act as a representative, negotiator, or decision-maker

    • Facilitate contact with minors or vulnerable individuals

    The service exists to support communication itself, not to control outcomes or replace professional intervention where it is required.

  • Hard Call is most appropriate when you want to communicate calmly, clearly, and safely, but feel unable to do so directly without stress or escalation. If your situation involves danger, coercion, legal enforcement, or emotional crisis, this service is not the right tool.

    If you are unsure, reviewing this section carefully can help you decide whether Hard Call aligns with your needs before moving forward.