The OP"s story seems very plausible. I mean I can't say that I have fallen in love with people that I never met before, but I have spoken to people online for years and not met them in person. Words go a long way and its easy to become very fond of a person when it seems they can relate to. It wouldn't be that hard for a girl to pretend to be a guy and a guy to pretend to be a girl. If your "penpal" refuses to talk on the phone or webcam with you, thats reason to be suspicious.

So you didn't even have a voice chat or phone call with this person you've known for four years? No wonder.

Thats what you get from meeting someone online. You never know with online sites. Next time find out the truth before you fall in love with them.

Well... agree with #86. If you've done a lot on websites and forums where you can meet people, I've seen time and time again lonely people fall in love with people that turn out to be girls. But... OP. Come on now, this would have made more sense in like, 2000-2004. It's 2009 now. If you've been using the internet for a while... it's time to get a clue.

Tips to a successful relationship: 1.) Verify relationship status of your love 2.) Verify gender 3.) Proceed.

#28: okay, i get your point but trusting someone you DON'T know over the internet could easily be a sexual predator, and since you don't know them it is a hell of a lot easier for them to get away and not your bff. so yeah they did deserve it, but that is MY opinion.

You fell in love with the same person online twice? That just goes to prove... do not trust strangers online. What they appear to be is very often nothing like what they really are. Although: 89.... I thought it was the other way... People meet girls online only to find out they're really guys. Either way... Yeah, be careful out there.

internet dating is a joke period, and i laugh at anybody who says otherwise. Whether some sites work or not is irrelevant; if somebody lacks the social skills to properly start a friendly/casual conversation in public often, and then advance a relationship when you find somebody where you guys like each other... then that person doesn't deserve to be dating at all!

@68 -- you don't necessarily need to know the gender of a person to fall in love with them. Ever heard of pansexuality?

Could have been worse, could have been a 68 yr old male pervert who is a registered sex offender.