As for phone calls, the internet is not a safe place in general, so it's perfectly understandable to be concerned and cautious. We try to create as much safety as we can here at OLGA. Here are some ideas:
1. Check out what the person has posted. If they haven't posted anything here, well, who are they? You can also see how long someone has been coming to the site. Look at their profile (click on the username anywhere you see it).
2. Come early or stay late at the meeting and chat with some people. You'll get a sense of who they are. You can always ask someone to meet you in the chat room at a specific time, if you aren't yet comfortable with a call.
3. Ask people about other people when you chat. Say, who do you think might be helpful for me, or do you know this person? Has interacting with this person been helpful to you? It's the unity of the fellowship that helps save us. When one person tells me something that's weird, I check it with other people. When 4 people who obviously have good recovery tell me to do the very same thing, I begin to think it might be a good idea, lol.
4. If you don't want to give out your phone number right away, start a new SKYPE account with your OLGA username and SKYPE with someone. You can always wipe out that account.
5. You never, never have to have an interaction with someone if you don't feel right about it, if it's not helping you, whatever. Push the red button. Delete the contact. Download a call control app and block the number. You can block pm's from a specific person on this site by going to their profile.
Hopefully, knowing that you have these options will help you feel safe enough to make some contacts.