This is just the tip of the iceberg now that half the internet is about targeting emotions, including empathy for profit. Outside of the first world you can make a living by throwing puppies into the water and rescuing them. Most of the content you see on the internet is acted, in China and India in particular tens of millions of people are employed to participate. Your grandmother might end up being scammed over the phone, but you are just as gullible when it comes to being preyed on by the ad industry or donating.