Cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg has issued a warning to travelers about the dangers of posting boarding pass photos on social media, as it can provide scammers with a wealth of exploitable data. Steinberg, who advises businesses and governments on security, highlighted that fraudsters often scour social media for personal information about potential victims. With the surge in travel this summer, as Americans seek to compensate for missed opportunities during the pandemic, Steinberg urges vacationers to be cautious about their social media habits.
There are three major risks involved when posting travel plans online. Firstly, it advertises that your home is unoccupied, inviting thieves. Secondly, sharing an image of your boarding pass reveals your booking reference and flight number, which can be manipulated to cause significant problems, including canceling and rebooking flights or accessing frequent flier miles. Lastly, boarding passes reveal a host of data about travelers, which scammers could use to impersonate you.
This warning aligns with similar cautions from Dr. Chris Pierson, a former member of the Department of Homeland Security’s privacy committee, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which referred to social media as a ‘goldmine’ for scammers. FTC data shows that consumers lost nearly $8.8 billion to scammers in 2022.
Source: Daily Mail
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