It's always good to be cautious when meeting people online. That being said, I met one of my best friends 13 years ago on Neopets. We've been role playing ever since, and our current role play has been ongoing for about 10 years. :3 We've met in person three times, despite living on literal opposite ends of the country, and she was recently in my wedding!
It was a bit weird to explain to people, but honestly, I never worried that she wasn't who she said she was. This whole internet communication thing can be done safely, thanks to forums like this. It's awesome to find someone whose interests align with mine uncannily and who has a shared passion for role play.