Hundreds of people ignore risks of sharing personal information while booking tours online

When registering for a recent short-term tour, I was required to provide sensitive personal information: full name, date of birth, address, and ID/citizen identification card number.

Concerned about potential misuse, I contacted the tour organizer to clarify how this information would be used, and specifically requested that it be kept confidential and not shared with other group members. The organizer assured me the data would only be used to purchase travel insurance.

However, just before departure, I was surprised and disappointed to receive a group email that included the full list of names and dates of birth for nearly 100 participants.

This incident not only made me lose trust in the organizer but also raised questions about society’s awareness of personal information security.

The importance of protecting personal information is emphasized early in education in Vietnam. The 3rd-grade Informatics textbook includes a lesson on storing, exchanging and protecting information about yourself and your family, stressing that personal details – full name, date of birth, phone number, home address, and photos – must be safeguarded to prevent misuse by bad actors.

Despite such early education, the reality is that many Vietnamese people are still complacent when it comes to protecting their own and others’ personal information.

This carelessness appears in many aspects of daily life. For instance, people often provide personal information such as ID numbers, phone numbers, or even bank passwords via phone, SMS, or online forms without verifying legitimacy. Many also casually post photos of ID cards, airline tickets, or other sensitive documents on social media, unaware that this information can be harvested and misused for fraudulent purposes.

Businesses and organizations collecting information also frequently lack proper security protocols, leading to large-scale data breaches, just as I experienced on my trip.

Failing to protect personal information can have serious consequences. Sharing your full name and date of birth publicly exposes you to several risks:

– Identity theft: Bad actors can impersonate you, create fake accounts on social media, banks, or other online services, and commit fraud such as borrowing money, making purchases on credit, or even stealing property.

– Account breaches: Your full name and date of birth are often used as answers to security questions for email, banking, or online accounts, making it easier for hackers to gain unauthorized access.

– Social engineering scams: Scammers may use leaked information to pose as friends or relatives, tricking victims into sending money or divulging more sensitive details.

– Cyberattacks: Leaked data can be sold on the black market, fueling sophisticated cyberattacks such as phishing or ransomware.

Many people still think sharing personal information is « normal, » or underestimate its value to cybercriminals. Organizations collecting such data may not have robust security systems, or may not adhere strictly to data storage and use regulations.

A lack of transparency in how personal information is handled also contributes to this complacency, as people readily provide information without asking necessary questions.

The group email listing all participants’ personal details is just a minor example, but it reflects a widespread disregard for personal information security in Vietnam. Out of nearly 100 people, I was the only one who questioned or warned the organizer, while everyone else ignored the risk, even though scams costing from hundreds of thousands to billions of dong are frequently reported in the news and on social media.

In an era of increasingly sophisticated tech-enabled fraud, both individuals and organizations must take greater responsibility for protecting personal data. Only when we all become more aware and vigilant can we create a safer and more trustworthy digital environment.

By Minh Tuong – VnExpress.net – June 21, 2025