My cheer-leading in that area has only grown more serious over the years.  The problem it solves is that if people I respect don't end up with a fool's money, then worse people will end up with it.  Look at all the people paying taxes to the US government.  That is the worst way to lose your money (and check out losthorizons.com if it's happening to you because chances are it doesn't need to).  The fastest way to turn a sucker from a sucker into someone respectable, trustworthy, smart, and a positive influence in society is to let them get suckered enough for them to realize what's happening.  I raised three kids, and I watched them all learn to walk.  When you stop them from falling down, it only slows down their progress.  Did I ever trip them on purpose?  No, but I didn't move things out of their way either.  Self-reliance is an important tool, and only growing more important as the tyrants most people call "authorities" continue making people into sheeple-slaves.

You Trust, You learn.  It goes both ways.  The trick is to trust others with as much as you're willing to pay to learn that they aren't trustworthy.  When you get that right, you always win when dealing with others, whether they're trustworthy or not.