NSW consumers are still feeling the ripple effects of a worsening scam crisis, with Australians across the country losing millions of dollars to fraud late in 2025.

Many victims are left to grapple with ongoing debt and financial harm.

While state breakdowns aren’t publicly released by the national Scamwatch program, combined figures from Scamwatch and new frontline data from the Consumer Action Law Centre show scams continuing to devastate households, including here in the Western Plains.

In the final three months of 2025, callers to Consumer Action’s services reported $7.1 million lost, with a high proportion of victims experiencing compounded financial vulnerability.

Almost 78 per cent of those who reported losses lived with at least one pre-existing vulnerability, and one in three people had three or more.

The most commonly reported scams included ATO/GST scams, romance scams, investment/crypto scams and employment scams.

National Scamwatch statistics also show that Australians have reported hundreds of millions of dollars in combined losses across 2025, with thousands of reports logged through the year - a clear signal that scams remain widespread and costly.

Beyond direct losses, many victims are now facing further financial pressure.

Nearly 32 per cent of people who reported losing money said banks or lenders were holding them liable for ongoing debts linked to the scam, while 28 per cent reported scam-related ATO debts.

In the first nine months of 2025, online-related content such as fake websites, online ads and social media contact were responsible for about 47 per cent of overall scam losses reported to Scamwatch.

Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin said the figures underscored the persistence of the scam problem.

“This data shows the scam crisis has not gone away - in fact, sophisticated technology is only increasing our vulnerability to scams,” Ms Tonkin said.

“People aren’t just losing their savings.

"Many are being hounded over debts incurred during a scam, compounding the trauma and placing them at risk of severe and ongoing harm.”

The organisation has called on the Federal Government to strengthen its proposed Scam Prevention Framework (SPF) - long delayed in implementation - with broader and clearer obligations for industry and stronger protections for consumers.

Critics say the current proposal contains delays, gaps and deficiencies that could leave NSW and other Australians exposed unless tightened, particularly around business responsibilities to detect and prevent scams, inclusion of high-risk digital platforms such as dating apps and online marketplaces, and guaranteed access to fair compensation for victims.

“We need a dispute resolution system for scams that supports people, not one that deepens their harm or alienation,” Ms Tonkin added.

Consumer advocates say they will raise these concerns directly with Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino, urging faster action and a genuinely consumer-focused framework.