You don't have to be an asshole to accumulate fake "interested" friends. You don't even have to be rich - these people are just looking for ways to abuse one's

You don't have to be an asshole to accumulate fake "interested" friends. You don't even have to be rich - these people are just looking for ways to abuse one's sincerity, it doesn't have to be for money - they could get free work out of you, or they could unload their problems on you. I reckon the problem is a bit more prominent for the rich simply because society currently values money above anything else, so a rich target will take precedence over a poor target.