How I lost my $50,000 Twitter username

[Crusader]

I had a rare Twitter username, @N. Yep, just one letter. I’ve been offered as much as $50,000 for it. People have tried to steal it. Password reset instructions are a regular sight in my email inbox.

As of today, I no longer control @N. I was extorted into giving it up.

While eating lunch on January 20, 2014, I received a text message from PayPal for one-time validation code. Somebody was trying to steal my PayPal account. I ignored it and continued eating.

Later in the day, I checked my email which uses my personal domain name (registered with GoDaddy) through Google Apps. I found the last message I had received was from GoDaddy with the subject “Account Settings Change Confirmation.” There was a good reason why that was the last one.

From: GoDaddy
To: <*****@*****.***> Naoki Hiroshima
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 12:50:02 -0800
Subject: Account Settings Change Confirmation

Dear naoki hiroshima,

You are receiving this email because the Account Settings were modified for the following Customer Account:

XXXXXXXX

There will be a brief period before this request takes effect.

If these modifications were made without your consent, please log in to your account and update your security settings.

If you are unable to log in to your account or if unauthorized changes have been made to domain names associated with the account, please contact our customer support team for assistance: [email protected] or (480) 505-8877.

Please note that Accounts are subject to our Universal Terms of Service.

Sincerely,
GoDaddy

I tried to log in to my GoDaddy account, but it didn’t work. I called GoDaddy and explained the situation. The representative asked me the last 6 digits of my credit card number as a method of verification.

This didn’t work because the credit card information had already been changed by an attacker. In fact, all of my information had been changed. I had no way to prove I was the real owner of the domain name.

The GoDaddy representative suggested that I fill out a case report on GoDaddy’s website using my government identification. I did that and was told a response could take up to 48 hours. I expected that this would be sufficient to prove my identity and ownership of the account.

To read the full story and the out click here.

Needless to say I've moved my domains away from GoDaddy now. However PayPal to me is indispensable so sadly I'm stuck with them.

 

[Jazzy]

Why did not contact authorities since he had written proof from the "so called' attacker?

Sounds like the whole thing is made up and is an advertisement for enom.com

 

[Darth-Apple]

That sucks. I suppose my decision to avoid GoDaddy entirely is for good reason.

 

[Crusader]

Why did not contact authorities since he had written proof from the "so called' attacker?

Sounds like the whole thing is made up and is an advertisement for enom.com

I wouldn't say so. And how do you know he hasn't?

 

[Jazzy]

Why did not contact authorities since he had written proof from the "so called' attacker?

Sounds like the whole thing is made up and is an advertisement for enom.com

I wouldn't say so. And how do you know he hasn't?

It mentioned in the article everyone he contacted. I didn't see the police or FBI mentioned, did you?

 

[Crusader]

Might not of mentioned it in the article. Might not of seen it necessary to involve the police assuming GoDaddy would have been able to sort it. Maybe there isn't much the police can do?

 

[Crusader]

GoDaddy admitting their part in the hack

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/29/godaddy-admits-hackers-social-engineering-led-it-to-divulge-info-in-n-twitter-account-hack/

 

[.Xstinct]

What I'm wondering about why didn't you sell it when you got that offer?

 

[fantanoice]

This is just so eye-opening. Makes me think twice about what emails I use to sign up to certain services.

Here's a similar instance, except this time it was Apple and Amazon who handed it over:
How Apple and Amazon Security Flaws Led to My Epic Hacking

 

[Crusader]

The value may of increased or he likes it.