Four in five Australians have experienced disputes with social networks and online stores, a growing problem costing consumers almost $500 million a year.
Despite the high toll, only three in five people raised complaints about their issues, with many unsure where to find help.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman released the findings on Monday from a study of consumer experiences on digital services, including the most pressing issues and problematic platforms.
The research comes after a review of the Online Safety Act recommended the government appoint a digital ombudsman, and after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made a similar recommendation in its Digital Platform Services Inquiry.
The report, undertaken by the Consumer Policy Research Centre, surveyed more than 1000 people about their online experiences.
It found most Australians, or 80%, had suffered at least one problem with online services in the past year, and almost half, or 45%, faced four or more challenges.
Locked out and left waiting
Being locked out or unable to access accounts was the biggest issue, followed by problematic charges and a lack of customer service.
Two in five people, or 40%, did not lodge a complaint about their online issue, and two in three who did were dissatisfied with the outcome.
Consumers were too often left to fend for themselves online, centre deputy chief executive Chandni Gupta said, and faced serious obstacles.
"Too many people are getting stuck in a complaints loop, unable to reach a real person, passed between automated systems, and left without resolution or closure," she said.
Digital service issues were costing Australians $497 million each year, the report found, though it noted individual losses could be higher.
Where problems are coming from
Online retailers and marketplaces attracted the most issues, with social networks a close second.
The absence of a digital services regulator was letting consumers down, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert said.
"People are coming to us, clutching at straws, trying to find anyone who can give them a hand when they've got a complaint," she told AAP.
"They feel like they're hitting brick walls in trying to navigate the processes of digital platforms and digital service providers."
Calls for a digital ombudsman
The ombudsman could address consumers' issues if the government expanded its powers, Gebert said, and an ombudsman scheme would ensure tech firms paid for it.
"It's not the platforms that are bearing the brunt now, it's everyday Australians," she said.
"The time has come for adequate consumer protections."
The federal government noted the recommendation for a digital ombudsman scheme in the Online Safety Act review but has yet to act on it.
