I would never for the life of me be drawn into relying on an internet based relationship. Acquaintances are one thing but a close friendship? Not in the cards. Now I know I don't speak for many, I realise this but my point of view is that you just can't completely know and trust who is at the other end. People will colour themselves into the personality they want others to see - and leave out a great deal of pertinent information regarding what they don't want people to know. I operate on the notion that you can guarantee that someone you know only on the internet you really don't know at all. I think it fair to say that everyone should take warning and not allow themselves to be drawn in and get overly close to a person they don't actually know at all. By heeding such advice, when that disappointment happens - and it will happen - it shouldn't have much impact at all.