I was going to say that.

Red Flag, Flashing lights, Siren, Warning Flares, the works! It's a pretty risky undertaking expecting to be alone and vulnerable with a "boyfriend" you have never actually met. I understand that you may have spent years getting to know him online and even over Skype etc but it's surprisingly easy to put on a front when you are miles apart. Hopefully he'll be a great as you clearly think he will but do remember: 1) You only know what he has told you about himself. Meeting friends/family, seeing the way he interacts with you and other people around him, all of these things give clues that we normally get to see _before_ we are alone with people. 2) The fact that he can't/won't pay but wants something from you that you can't really afford. That isn't the behaviour of a boy in love who's eager to meet up with you in person. That sounds more like someone out for everything he can get. Go carefully OP!

Internet dating. It is not uncommon, but usually done by younger people.

Is it common to book an apartment together for your first meeting though? And have one person pay for it all? I know online dating can be a brilliant stepping stone on the way to offline dating, but it sounds like OP is just booking herself a one way ticket to Sketchy Town here

This is the thing that concerns me - a friend of mine is currently in a relationship that came from online dating, but it started with a few "dates" just like any other might. It took quite a few of those dates to find anyone reasonable from all the freeks and wierdos who "like"d her profile. And all of those seemed reasonable enough on the phone. No matter how well you think you know someone online, locking yourself away in a room or apartment on your first personal meeting is a pretty risky first step.

I dated my wife online before I met her in person. We've been together for six years and have a child. It's not how you meet, it's that you meet that matters.

It seems a bit... odd to call him her "boyfriend" before they've ever met though. I mean, I get online dating, I've been in a relationship with a guy I'd met online and daily talked to for at least half a year before meeting, but there's no way I could consider him my boyfriend before we'd met. Even if you live far away, even if you take a looong time to talk before meeting, I don't see how you can consider it an actual relationship at that point.

An actual relationship? It is an actual relationship if both of them take it seriously and want to be together. Just because how they met is different from the norm doesn't mean it has any less value.

I just know from experience that for every heart-warming marriage story out there, there are 10 people who find manipulating others online so easy that they do it without thinking. Which means it's worth treading carefully and playing safe and I hope OP realises that.

Did you make her pay for a 4 star hotel the first time you met?

It's not really uncommon. Like others have said: Internet dating. I happened to meet my husband on a video game. We dated before meeting in person. I agree, it can go way wrong sometimes, but in cases like mine, it went absolutely perfectly. (:

Yes, but did you make your wife pay for an expansive room, knowing that she didn't make a lot of money?

God, I have this friend who got engaged to someone she never met in person. He lived in Cali, us in Michigan. She's my best friend, so I was happy for her, but she only knew the guy for a short short time (less than a year). he ended up cheating on her and they stayed to get her, but she cheated on him and they broke up. We weren't even out of high school yet, but we just graduated and she's engaged again to, at least a guy who lives near us.

I met my internet guy in person at the end of 1999. We are married with a 9 year old. So yes, it does work sometimes!

Most people on here aren't concerned about internet dating, people are concerned because this guy seems sketchy. He doesn't have a job and he's not paying for anything but he wants to meet her in a really nice hotel. That's not a good sign. Did your husband make you pay for a 4 star hotel for your first meet up?

Agree 100%. By far the best comment/advice.

Sounds like the boyfriend already is a neet, so OP will not be able to neet them. Unless neeting is more like knighting for neets?

the knights who say "ni"?

I'm dead. Lmfao.

Damn I was hoping to use the Nigerian Prince reference

Exactly, look at some of the videos on ThinkUknow (it's a website). It might not apply, you may have known him a long time, but always ALWAYS be careful when meeting someone in person.