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Now that international travel is truly up and running, chances are your social media feeds have been flooded with images of people flaunting their holidays.
After all, if you haven't posted an image of a boarding pass sticking out of your passport like an oversized bookmark, how will everyone know you've left the country?
Yep, this image was taken by a colleague to remind the rest of us that she was on leave. Image by Mothership
Well, according to a TikTok user named Jason Ho, here's why you shouldn't do it.
@coachjasonho PSA: Personal information hack #learningisfun #PSA #lifehacker #singaporeairlines #coachjasonho ♬ original sound - Coach Jason Ho
"This is damn dangerous for your privacy," said Ho.
According to the motivational speaker, by posting such a photo you could be giving away the following bits of personal information:
- Full name
- Passport number
- Passport expiry date
- Last four digits of your credit card
- Date of birth
- Mobile phone number
In addition, using just the information on your boarding pass, Ho said that malicious actors can make adjustments to your in-flight preferences or worst, cancel your flight altogether.
Managed to access personal details on Singapore Airlines page
"I'm going to show you what an influencer did when she went to SEA Games," continued Ho, with a disclaimer — the video was purely for educational purposes.
He then presented a censored screenshot from a video posted by an unnamed influencer on social media.
Image from @CoachJasonHo's TikTok account
Ho pointed out that in that screenshot, the influencer had unwittingly revealed her full name and e-ticket number to viewers of the video.
With this information, Ho showed that he could then access the "manage booking" function on Singapore Airlines' website.
He then proceeded to demonstrate how he was able to find the influencer's personal information.
"Sharing the joy"
Ho said that the video was no longer available online and that he had personally messaged the influencer to warn her.
Some commenters on Ho's video were less charitable towards the influencer, with one, in particular, describing her as a show-off.
However, Ho replied that he felt the act of posting about your holiday for most people was "more like sharing the joy".
"So guys I hope you share with all your friends about this," he said, concluding his video.
"Never ever do this. If you want to do this, please cover with your thumb or something the e-ticket number."
Top image by Mothership and from Jason Ho's TikTok account