With more and more countries opening up to tourists, people are understandably excited to start travelling again.
In the age of social media, you can always tell when someone is travelling overseas by a post that shows them waving a boarding pass, which they usually insert between the pages of a passport.
Source: Shutterstock via Time Out
However, in their excitement, they may not realise the dangers of doing this.
On Sunday (29 May), leadership coach Jason Ho aka @coachjasonho, warned Singaporeans against posting photos of their boarding passes online.
He demonstrated how anyone could access sensitive personal information, such as passport numbers, using those photos alone, via a TikTok video.
In his video, Mr Ho warned Singaporeans that posting pictures of their boarding passes presents numerous privacy risks.
He explained that doing so will allow others to access their personal information, including the last four digits of their credit card and phone numbers.
Additionally, hackers might also be able to change their flight information or even cancel it altogether.
Source: @coachjasonho on TikTok
To demonstrate his point, he referred to a boarding pass photo posted by an influencer.
He made sure to censor her personal information and e-ticket number, which he said is the “most important part”.
Then, he keyed in her 13-digit e-ticket number and last name into the Singapore Airlines website.
And just like that, he could access her booking reference number and even download the receipt.
Source: @coachjasonho on TikTok
He could also see all the information he listed earlier in his video.
According to CN Traveler, barcodes on boarding passes can also contain more information depending on the airline.
If that wasn’t alarming enough, Mr Ho showed how someone with ill intentions could even change or cancel a flight.
He wrapped up his video by reminding others that if they want to post a photo of their boarding passes, they should make sure to cover all sensitive information.
Furthermore, he claimed to have personally reached out to the influencer to inform her about her mistake.
Comments under Mr Ho’s TikTok video showed that many were unaware of these privacy issues before he enlightened them.
Source: @coachjasonho on TikTok
Another person suggested that airline companies should consider using two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect their customers for added security.
Someone scoffed that those who post photos of their boarding passes are “hao lian” or showing off.
Source: @coachjasonho on TikTok
In response, Mr Ho said that while there might be a small minority who are indeed doing so, he suggested that most are just sharing their happiness without knowing they were being careless.
While it is completely normal to be excited and eager to post about your overseas trip, one should not forget to prioritise their privacy and safety.
Hopefully, more people will now know what not to do when posting photos of their boarding passes.
We highly encourage everyone to share this important reminder with their friends and family so they can better protect themselves as well.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @coachjasonho on TikTok.
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