Yes, online dating is scary and NO, you are not an idiot. None of us can be prepared for what's out there. It's a steep learning curve and in the zoo out there, you do come across genuine people like yourself looking for love and companionship. There are so many of us that write about our experiences with online dating, especially in our middle-age. Be kind to yourself. Read up more about it and it's one of the ways of meeting people these days, although, not the only way.