How much empathy is considered bad???

I am similar to you! But instead of spending your money on people in rich countries, I suggest you might want to donate to people to whom you money could change their lives. If you are empathetic that is wonderful! But weaponise it for positive change! https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/dashboard/pledge ---this website is excellent for finding out who to donate to. Nothing is inherently good or bad, but I personally love empathetic people, and im sure you will find more people like you

I lent an old friend hundreds of pounds 2 years ago when he claimed to have become homeless because I was afraid of him dying on the street. He never paid me back a single penny. He even tried to coax me into lending him more by accusing me of being "heartless" for not wanting to do so. I ultimately turned it down because of this.
He has disappeared since last year. His Facebook, the only channel contactable, is no longer in use. Still, I am more concerned about his life rather than what he owes me.
As a side note, I am also more willing to help beggars than my peers who tend to see them as scammers as I believe that it'd be the most stupid way to be a scammer by sitting in the cold all the day long, risking harassment by police or gangsters while everyone recognises them.
Have I got too much empathy? How much empathy is considered bad???

I lent an old friend hundreds of pounds 2 years ago when he claimed to have become homeless because I was afraid of him dying on the street. He never paid me back a single penny. He even tried to coax me into lending him more by accusing me of being "heartless" for not wanting to do so. I ultimately turned it down because of this.
He has disappeared since last year. His Facebook, the only channel contactable, is no longer in use. Still, I am more concerned about his life rather than what he owes me.
As a side note, I am also more willing to help beggars than my peers who tend to see them as scammers as I believe that it'd be the most stupid way to be a scammer by sitting in the cold all the day long, risking harassment by police or gangsters while everyone recognises them.
Have I got too much empathy? How much empathy is considered bad???

Your problem is that you think you have empathy, but what you actually have is gullibility. You aren't sharing someone's plight, you are being taken advantage of by them. You are the victim. Not them.
Most beggars are scammers. The majority are not rough sleepers and those that are are often rough sleeping by choice.
If you give money to someone on the street or on a train, it is almost certain that they will be spending that money on drugs. They will never ever ever be spending it on a hostel. If a woman is sitting down and crying in the street whilst begging, it is because she has heard that someone else does it and makes more money by doing so. If someone has a sign that says "I am hungry, God bless you", they are part of an organised begging gang and this is their full time job. If someone has a dog with them, it's because they think that people are more likely to give money to a dog.
Chances are all you are doing is buying drugs for someone else.

To read this and say they do not have empathy shows a lack of empathy or a lack of understanding as to what empathy is, they clearly have a kind heart and care for the plight of others. Most ppl would not help out a friend in such a way and your mentality about rough sleepers is disgraceful.

To read this and say they do not have empathy shows a lack of empathy or a lack of understanding as to what empathy is, they clearly have a kind heart and care for the plight of others. Most ppl would not help out a friend in such a way and your mentality about rough sleepers is disgraceful.

This is the problem. You believe what you're told by people in the street who are asking for money.

Your problem is that you think you have empathy, but what you actually have is gullibility. You aren't sharing someone's plight, you are being taken advantage of by them. You are the victim. Not them.
Most beggars are scammers. The majority are not rough sleepers and those that are are often rough sleeping by choice.
If you give money to someone on the street or on a train, it is almost certain that they will be spending that money on drugs. They will never ever ever be spending it on a hostel. If a woman is sitting down and crying in the street whilst begging, it is because she has heard that someone else does it and makes more money by doing so. If someone has a sign that says "I am hungry, God bless you", they are part of an organised begging gang and this is their full time job. If someone has a dog with them, it's because they think that people are more likely to give money to a dog.
Chances are all you are doing is buying drugs for someone else.