People who say "But I don't know you" self-perpetuate the bad cycle of doubt even before trying.

They also give up the chances of making friends and even start work towards the opposite end of the spectrum of optimism which is like a pessimism of "how can I find imperfection in you" instead of expecting people are not perfect and working towards a better way of accepting "This is the Internet" we all start off as strangers and nicknames!!

You don't need real names or screening people based on legal verification to say they are a human, Seeing people's bio and history is more than enough.

And people really weren't as bad as the doubt so anyway trying is the main thing (and not to lose trying as that is the worst case scenario) unless you're really doing something that important(!) because not everyone is trying to get you (even nobody cares that much).

A lot online is taking people's word for it. Even less that people are hunting you so directly and it's quite unheard of (abuse does get said much quicker today so be sure you would hear it at some point over the years- but near-0 I would say apart from opinion difference and 'hate' from that).

"You could be anyone" is poor excuse for those who say it.
Especially those with "contact me" on various public places. They undo themselves with "Why are you contacting me" when I already explain (perhaps in too much detail) and waste their own and people's time.

This comment comes from people not understanding people are an instant fan of others or appreciate their work to a high level and turn it on it's head instead 🙃
That's turning things upside ⬆️ down ⬇️ or from positive / celebration in these to negative / pessimism chopping down of people.

Honestly just accept any fans or similar and let people's words and action rule not just their avatars or names!

[I guess being scared of shadow is also legitimate or not knowing what to do with a fan or two once you have some willing to live similar with you... but that's a human thing also to conquer and go forward with, not backward stumbling over you own shadow].