Watch out for the guys that kind of lure you into a email/IM 'relationship' where you are communicating and chatting regularly that have jobs thaat involve travel. Some will waste your time for months to build trust and then be traveling somewhere (often with a child) and then claim some financial calamity asking or hoping for help.
Talk to people even if you like non verbal forms of communication. Get a local number, query about places they should be familiar with in your region. There are some elaborate cons used by those who have too many inconveniences to meet in person right away. I never fell for it to the point of it costing me money, but I wasted some time. Also-anyone that is too good to be true needs a lot of extra scrutiny. Accents-while we live in in international and well traveled world be aware that plenty of french accents come from other places altogether (for example).
If they are claiming to be local and can't get it together for a cuppa, then drop them fast. 90% are bad and the 10% that might be authenticly too busy are too busy to be on a dating site if they can't get a cuppa.
Been there, done that.
GOOD NEWS, there are nice folks out there that are just lonely and looking like you. Some have some baggage and history (as do we!) so try to keep your heart open and your brain light turned on!