i think it would depend on each person, not everyone thinks the same, for some people falling in love b4 u meet if you have spent enough time chatting to each other and getting to know one an other then it could be possible,
but i cant speak for everyone,
in my experence a very strong bond was formed over the months that we chated though email, phone and cams, and even thow there was a stong bond nether of us knew that we was goin to have chemistry, and you can only find that out by meeting face to face,
in my experence the chemestry was defo there for the both of us.