It depends.

I'm going to say yes. But you just need to trust your gut. Some people I meet online I totally trust, but others seem a little fishy to me, so I try not to get too close to them.

Also, meeting people online - it can be like, your cousin (who you talk to online) introduces you to a friend of hers, that SHE knows in real life, but you've never met. So you start talking online, and then maybe eventually meet in RL.

Or, like a few people have mentioned - You start talking to the person, get to know them, their personality, their views and opinions, their likes/dislikes, etc. When you meet the person in RL, you don't end up immediately judging them because you know what a great person they are. (If they weren't a great person, I don't think you'd be meeting them in RL LOL)

But then there are those cases where stalker freaks are out to get little girls...

You just need to watch out and be smart. Maybe after talking online, you can talk on the phone, and see if they actually sound the age they say they are.

So my answer is yes - if you trust your gut and be smart about what you're doing.