You have seen all of the danger messages and do take them seriously. Just like dating any one, you need to use good sense and lonely or seeking heart is not always sensible.
My experience with online dating is you must kiss a lot of frogs before you find the one that is a prince. Oh, goodness, I do not mean literally kiss them all, yuck! But rather you must respond to many, be honest, even if they are not. And you never know for sure! The more individuals you converse with online, the more you will get a sense of their honesty and integrity. There are many fine people also seeking a special person.
In one of the earlier posts a successful couple had a common interest and that is a good start whether online or local. If they love boating and water is your fear, maybe not a good match.
Finely, give the process time. If you think you found a keeper or one you would consider keeping, take a big breath and keep you head. He may be a prince or he may be rat in frog's clothing.