This is one of several alarming findings from Consumers International, the global federation of consumer organizations.
The survey also found that many sites do not not warn consumers searching for health or financial advice that they should consult a professional before acting on advice given.
Amazingly, half of sites giving advice on medical and financial matters are failing to provide full information about the authority and credentials of the people behind that advice.
And only 57 percent of general advice sites gave sources for that advice.
Meanwhile, 39 percent of sites that collected personal information did not have a privacy policy, 62 percent of sites contained claims that were vague and unspecific. 55 percent of sites said nothing about how up-to-date their content was and 30 percent of sites provided no address or telephone number.
Bizarrely, only 41 percent of the sites that recommended products gave sources for their prices and 26 percent of sites gave no clear information about who owned them.
"The results of this research are particularly alarming when you consider that the majority of consumers using the web are relying on it for credible information they can trust," said Anna Fielder, director for Consumers International's Office for Developed and Transition Economies. "Consumers are being put at risk by misleading, inaccurate and incomplete information, for example, where they need to seek health or financial help. There is an urgent need for consumers to be alerted to this matter."
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