A holiday selfie is par for the course for many travellers – it’s an essential snapshot of your trip.
But it turns out, taking one could ruin your holiday before it’s even started.
Jamie Fraser, an expert in international working holidays, warns that the seemingly harmless holiday habit can expose travellers to serious privacy and security risks.
That’s because posting even partially obscured photos of boarding passes – which are sometimes caught in selfies – can cause problems.
Jamie Fraser says posting boarding passes on social media is one of the most underestimated travel mistakes people make.
He explains: ‘People think covering their name or barcode makes a boarding pass safe to share, but that’s rarely true.
‘Even if less than 30 per cent of the QR or personal details are visible, scammers can often reconstruct the rest using basic tools.
‘That’s enough to access booking details, change seats, cancel flights, or harvest personal data.’
Sharing your travel moments in a selfie showing passports and boarding passes is risky
‘Boarding passes often include encoded data such as full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, and sometimes even passport-related details.
‘With minimal technical skill, scammers can decode barcodes or use visible information to retrieve bookings online.’
He adds: ‘The biggest risks include identity theft, targeted phishing scams while travellers are abroad, and unauthorised access to airline loyalty accounts.
‘The danger isn’t just theoretical.’
He explains: ‘We’ve seen cases where travellers land to discover their return flight altered, seats reassigned, or accounts compromised, all traced back to a boarding pass photo posted online,’
‘Common misconceptions include believing that blurring a barcode is enough, assuming posts are safe because accounts are private, or thinking the risk ends once the flight has departed.
‘If you want to share the excitement, post a photo of the airport coffee or the wing view.’
To help travellers stay safe, Jamie has shared a quick pre-flight checklist.
You should take care not to post any sensitive information if sharing photos
He says before posting anything travel-related, ask yourself: Does the image show any part of a boarding pass or ticket?
You should check if your full name, booking reference, or seat number is visible, too.
Plus, ask yourself: ‘Could someone screenshot this and zoom in later?
‘Am I posting this before my return journey is complete?’
