What I mean by the analogy is that people outside of the startup can have the same feeling about the startup entrepreneur (e.g. thinking they've been mired up in a scam.) the difference is there isn't one in the startup case.

So do something - like visit the love interest - that differentiates between these cases.

Scammers can be very persuasive in person, so it's not a given that the scammer will ignore her.

I know someone in a similar situation. She's been abroad to see her "love" in Egypt regularly, and he's very attentive when she's there.

Of course they're planning to get married.

Of course it's love. What else would it be?

Works on guys too. I know someone else who has given rather a lot of money to an East European woman. I don't think they'll ever meet, because most East European women in these scams are actually criminal gangs. But we'll see.

Also, it's worth considering that these scams are marketing funnels designed to select the most gullible people and filter out everyone else. So the victims are self-selecting, because the scams are designed to find people with their particular psychological weaknesses.

But actual love is similar, so where is your differential? I realize you could have a simple answer, "is any money involved", but that would make many very good relationships that work out positively for both partners "scams" at one point. Does it also make every stay at home, or temporarily unemployed person a "scammer", if they are receiving financial help? You need an actual differential on love here. If Hillary starts earning a POTUS salary is her husband a scammer, clearly in it for the long con, since he even cheated on her!

So you need a much better differential when you sarcastically say "of course it's love".