internet, safe to trust someone?

It's always best to be cautious dealing with people that you initially meet online. I've met, hung out with, partied hard with, dated, and lived with plenty of people that I've initially met online. I've communicated with them through writing, through phone calls, and eventually meeting them. Not just one or two people, but in excess of 40 or more throughout my time. I guess that I'm lucky. Many of those people I met when I was just 16 years old (I'm now 30) and many of them I still communicate with. I've only had trouble in two instances, one was with someone that I did not directly communicate with initially (he went to uni with my sister, stole her rolodex, and then began to make threats about raping, harming, and killing members of my family.. way back before there were really legal mandates about this sort of harassment). In one instance, someone that I met in this manner literally saved my life. He was 18 and I was 24, in an abusive relationship with nowhere to go. That young man took two weeks off from high school, came half way across the country, and escorted me to a safe place. My physical address is typically the last thing that I will tell anyone that I originally met online, until after I have known them for a long period of time or they're in a foreign country wanting pen friends.

I would say be careful if meeting the person. I have done it, I met this guy on myspace 3 years ago, we chatted on there and Yahoo messenger, and then we moved to texting each other, we finally met this year, it was great, although it wasn't the best of circumstances, make sure you have people with you when you meet them, make it a public place or have a few friends go with you. My friend just started a relationship with the guy she has been talking to for 5 years, so it is heard of.

With the internet, you have to be extremely careful. I think that is very wise advice for anyone and everyone to follow, especially if you plan on meeting the person in the offline world. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who think very little of doing something bad to other people. But at the same time, there are honest good people out there as well. The best thing I can tell you is to just use common sense and go with your instinct with whatever you do.

You will never know if that person is you could really trust. All you have to do is be cautious on what you say or do.. Be careful on who you trust.