IME most victims and enablers are simply lazy, ignorant, willingly blind, acting out of desperation, or getting out-exploited by somebody they tried to exploit themselves. Whom I don't blame are those born into pathology, this can be sad indeed.
I am easily manipulated in face-to-face. I only realize it having happened afterwards, when I wind down (the same day). I know a few others who are similar. I do not know if this is cultural/upbringing, or something genetic, or what.
The main difference to me is whether one gets manipulated by the same person
repeatedly; and most importantly, whether one admits having been manipulated.
In my experience, anyone and everyone can be fooled at least once, so I cannot and will not blame the victim for that.
But when the victim refuses to admit having been manipulated, especially if in the face of clear proof, my empathy tends to dry out quite quickly. That attitude leads to pathological results.
getting out-exploited by somebody they tried to exploit themselves
Greed, like those actually answering to emails from Nigerian Princes looking to invest huge sums of money, is outside my empathy.
Just like Elizabeth Holmes' exploits.
I'd like
both sides of such exploits to lose money.
The borderline to me is romance exploits: "I'm stuck in X, and need to borrow a few k$", etc.
On one hand, they're so well publicized that everyone should be aware of the pattern. On the other hand, it is exactly their willingness to help those
they perceive to be their close ones that is being exploited.