_generally speaking_ most data science is "we tried this and it improved this metric" the how and why is often poorly understood, and even when it is, it's often later once the system has been working for awhile.

But also I'm not convinced that getting someone to pay more is the same as screwing them over. For example - countries where fines are based on your income, or needs based programs that charge you less when you make less are mostly accepted as social good