Can you embarrass someone privately if you think that the person MAY be embarrassed publicly?

Question

Can you embarrass someone privately if you feel that not saying something may cause that person public embarrassment, i.e., s/he may be embarrassed by multiple people? The key word here is MAY, but you calculate that there is a high likelihood that public embarrassment would occur but, there's no guarantee.

As an example - You notice that a man has his zipper open and part of his privates are visible. Telling him this will embarrass him, but if you don't tell him, and he walks in the street, the public will embarrass him, most likely. Of course, there is a possibility that the man may close his zipper before going out, or even if others in the public will see what's going on, no one outside may mention anything, in which case no one publicly would embarrass him at all.

Answer 1

Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, in his weekly Navi shiur, told the story of the man who walked to shul, greeting all on his way, only to realize when donning tefillin that a Q-tip was sticking out of his ear.

Anyone who truly cares and fulfills the mitzva of loving your neighbor will tell him politely the potentially embarrassing fact to prevent him gross public humiliation. I know I appreciate it when people tell me that my pants are accidentally in my socks or I have "something" on my "cheek" (euphemism for nose). People who don't tell are concerned about themselves being uncomfortable, not the person who will be even more embarrassed.

Notifying is the sign of a true friend.