Don't chat in an online chat room. You never know who might read personal information and you and the other person will be less likely to reveal important information about yourselves. You are in control. If the person turns out to be a weirdo or a jerk, it is easier to cut off someone on line versus hanging up the phone on them. Good Luck to you.
People let their guard down more in an online chat vs. talking on the phone.
You notice if someone is not answering questions. In a phone conversation, people change the subject easily and you forget what you asked. You can cut and paste a record into Wordpad what you talked about and save it for future reference. This enables you to go back and see if the person has changed their story from the time you talk to them on the phone or meet them in person. Marriages, divorce, children, education, career choices, hobbies, likes and dislikes.