I'm a cybersecurity expert, here's why your airport selfie is a gift to scammers

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A cybersecurity expert has warned vacationers not to upload photos of their boarding pass when they travel this summer - as it can be a gift to scammers.

Joseph Steinberg, who acts as a security advisor to businesses and governments, said that fraudsters often trawl social media for key personal information about potential victims. 

He added that boarding passes in particular are a goldmine of data which can be manipulated to exploit users.

Americans are travelling more than ever this summer as they seek to make up for missed opportunities during the pandemic. In June, air travel demand shot up by 12 percent compared to the same month a year prior, according to the US Travel Association. 

But Steinberg advises vacationers to be mindful of their social media habits while away as they can create digital breadcrumbs for scammers to find out more information about you.

Joseph Steinberg, who acts as a security advisor to businesses and governments, has warned vacationers not to upload photos of their boarding pass when they travel this summer

He told Dailymail.com: 'There are three major risks involved when you post information about your travel plans online.

'Firstly there is the physical risk. You should never reveal that you're going to be away from your home as it is basically an advert for thieves.

'Secondly, by sharing an image of your boarding pass, you're revealing your booking reference and flight number which people can manipulate to cause all sorts of mischief.

'Somebody could cancel and rebook your flight reservation if they wanted to. They could also get access to things like your frequent flier miles.'

Steinberg added that boarding passes also reveal a host of data about travelers which scammers could use to impersonate you.

'If a fraudster has details like your date of birth and your full name they could contact the airline and manipulate employees to share more information about you,' he said.

In June, air travel demand shot up by 12 percent compared to the same month a year prior, according to the US Travel Association

'Most people wouldn't expect a scammer to know so much of your personal information already.'

His comments echo similar warnings made by Dr Chris Pierson, who served on the Department of Homeland Security's privacy committee, recently.

Pierson told Dailymail.com that oversharing on social media was becoming a huge problem for cybersecurity as it allowed hackers to accurately guess the passwords of victims.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has similarly referred to social media as a 'goldmine' for scammers in the past.

Across the board, FTC data shows that consumers lost nearly $8.8 billion to scammers in 2022.