Scam mail intercept saves WA victims

West Australian scam victims have been saved from sending almost $19,000 to overseas fraudsters thanks to new post interception tactics.

In the past two months, 600 letters containing payments for various scams including clairvoyants' predictions and phoney prizes have been stopped and returned to senders.

Most of the payments were small amounts, averaging $90 a victim. The largest single payment was $1120.

Commerce Minister Michael Mischin said most of the victims were elderly people.

Mr Mischin said sending money to scammers only helped them finance their next fraud and created more victims.

Authorities have also intercepted more than half a million mail items promoting almost 100 scams bound for Australian households in the past 12 months.