u/Sad_Possession_197

Hi everyone,

I recently received this message from someone interested in taking English lessons with me

Something about it feels a bit off to me. It seems very generic and the "strict teacher" part makes me wonder if it's a copypasted message or some kind of scam. On the other hand I know some learners genuinely prefer structure and homework.

Has anyone received similar messages on Preply? Did they turn out to be legitimate students, or was there something suspicious about them?

I'd appreciate hearing your experiences before I respond

Hi everyone, I’m new to Preply and I just received my very first student message, and I’m a bit confused about how to handle it.

The student greeted me with “Assalamualaikum” and then said they are a revert and asked if I can help them to understand Islam. Although I’m a Muslim myself (I think they may have assumed that from my profile picture where I wear a hijab) but I am on preply as an English tutor not a religious teacher. I don’t feel comfortable or qualified teaching or guiding someone about Islam in a religious sense.I’m not sure how to respond in a professional way while also being respectful and not discouraging the student.

What is the right approach for situations like this?