Meeting People on the Internet.

I (Dave) have recently been looking for ways to meet people with common interests in Lodz, and I have discovered what a good tool the internet can be for making real life contacts.  Just this last week I made contact with two locals and I'm hoping to get together with them in the next few days.
Of course, you have to be careful when dealing with the internet.  People can easily lie about themselves or have bad intentions, so I have to check them out a bit before we get too close.  I'm not concerned so much about myself (because I'm huge and can lift most people in this country above my head) as those around me, but I believe I'm being cautious enough.  4 years in down town Chicago gives you some street savvy, and you have to be willing to risk a bit if you want to move forward.  After all, the main reason we are here is to impact peoples lives.  How are we to do that if we don't take a chance?