I see it regularly in Thailand. Old guys who think hot 22 year old stunners who know only a few a words in English are genuinely in love with them for their personalities. Bar tenders in normal pubs chat about how many "giks" they have sending them money every month. I guess it's the hope that kills ya. And the international bank transfers...Watching a documentary series about Englishmen getting scammed by Portuguese woman. Get them to fall in love and move over and long game them for everything they have. Some don't survive.
Scary stuff.