The money represented nearly 40 per cent of losses to all scams in the state, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, despite dating and romance scams only accounting for 2 per cent of reports.

"It's just devastating and we have to stop it," said the ACCC's deputy chair Delia Rickard.

"It could have been a whole lot worse but we have a scam disruption project in NSW up and running. We identified and contacted victims sending money to West African countries. Seventy per cent stopped sending money."

Nationally, the amount lost to dating and romance scammers also jumped by 10 per cent to $27.9 million, cementing the category as the most lucrative for fraudsters. However, the number of reports fell by 10 per cent.

"Don't think it's just through dating websites. We found 33 per cent of these relationships started on Facebook and other social media," she said.

And despite the stereotype of the older woman nursing a broken heart, as many men as women fell victim to romance scams in the past year. They also lost more money, with men losing $14,784 on average and women losing $8777.

"Men are victims as much as women, it's basically 50-50, she said.

Notorious West Africa-based fraudsters who use fake profiles of American troops have triggered the creation of Facebook groups of victims who track, trick and bait scammers.

Grant Langston from dating website eHarmony, which has a million Australian members, said scammers were experts at preying on the vulnerabilities of people searching for love.

"While we do have vigorous safety measures in place, there is still a need for Australians to 'look both ways' when crossing the virtual street and take responsibility for their online safety," he said.

"Scammers are completely dependent upon your cooperation; they need access, information, or money. Being vigilant and cyber smart means not giving them what they need to commit their crimes."

In good news, the ACCC's Targeting Scams Report, released on Monday to kick off National Consumer Fraud Week, showed the total amount swindled from Australians across all scam categories dropped by 9 per cent to $81.8 million.

After dating and romance, the next highest yielding scams were investment schemes, betting and sports investment schemes, and inheritance rorts.

"We're urging consumers to 'get smarter with their data' as stolen personal information underpins almost every scam reported," said Ms Rickard. "Your personal data is a valued commodity – and one that you cannot put too high a price on when it comes to protecting it."

A 2014 Attorney-General's report on identity theft showed the price of fraudulent identity credentials ranged from $80 for Medicare cards to $350 for driver licences.

It also said it cost $1500 for an Australian passport to be altered by a professional document forger or up to $30,000 for a legitimately issued passport with fraudulent details.

The ACCC report showed people were most likely to fall for health and medical scams, with more than half falling for the trap. This was followed by psychic and clairvoyant schemes

One in three victims reported losing between $100 and $499, suggesting scammers continued to favour high-volume scams such as those asking victims for a small upfront payment to secure a larger sum of money "owed" to them by an organisation.

One in 10 lost more than $10,000. There were 14 reports of losing more than half a million dollars.

While online scam attempts continue to increase, more than half the scams reported were conducted via phone and text.

The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics personal fraud survey estimates Australians lost $1.4 billion to fraud – more than 15 times the loss reported to the ACCC last year.

HOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED

1. Keep your personal details secure - Lock your mailbox, and shred your bills and other important documents before throwing out. Be careful sharing information about yourself online, including social media, blogs and other online forums.

2. Think twice about what you say and do in an online environment - Stop and think before filling in surveys, entering competitions, clicking on links or attachments, or even 'befriending', 'liking' or 'sharing' something.

3. Keep your mobile devices and computers secure - Always use password protection, don't share access with others (including remotely), update security software and back up content. Protect your Wi-Fi network with a password and avoid using public computers or Wi-Fi hotspots to access online banking or provide personal information.

4. Choose your passwords carefully - A strong password should include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Don't use the same password for every account/profile, and don't share your passwords with anyone.

5. Beware of any request for your details or money - Use the phone book or an online search to check the organisation's contact details. Never use the contact details provided in the original request.

6. Get a copy of your credit report - You can get a free copy of your report every year to check that no-one is using your name to borrow money or run up debts.

(credit: ACCC)