The private affair of a former female manager of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and a man claiming to be David Petraeus, director of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency, was made public after the woman was arrested for cashing fake travelers' checks.

Although the police and several internet users continue telling the woman that the man is a fraud, she has insisted that the man, who she has wired over US$33,850 to, will come to Taiwan and marry her. She also started an online campaign to raise money for his trip.

While many people do not understand how a woman of her age can fall for the scam, the case actually reflects the way fraudsters manipulate people by targeting their primal and basic needs for love and affection, which is not necessarily connected to a person's educational background or social status.