Twitter gold tick scam has been in the news lately for promoting a new kind of exploit on the platform. The microblogging platform’s new CEO announced in December 2022 that Twitter’s verified system would come in three options – Blue, Gold, and Grey. The gold check mark would indicate that the account is an official business account through Twitter Verified Organizations.
However, the verification system’s effectiveness has been scrutinized, with reports indicating that a ‘Twitter gold tick scam’ has been aiding hackers to exploit the system. The verification process is reportedly “flimsy,” which has enabled scammers to game the system and misrepresent themselves as official business accounts.
Twitter gold tick scam is scrutinizing the verification system
Twitter gold tick scam was highlighted recently when a fake Disney Junior UK’s Twitter account tagged the main account of Disney and conducted a poll to close the account. The incident raises concerns about the ease with which fake accounts can be created and the potential for malicious actors to spread false information or engage in phishing attacks.
The confusion caused by Twitter’s new CEO’s decision has provided a breeding ground for hackers initiating official business and posting offensive messages on the platform. Twitter’s verification system was designed to help users distinguish between legitimate accounts and fake ones.
The Twitter verification system is facing scrutiny due to the Twitter gold tick scam, which is, reportedly helping scammers and hackers on the platform.
Researchers have used the incident involving the fake Disney Junior UK Twitter account to highlight the need for Twitter to strengthen its verification process and to implement more robust security measures to prevent malicious activities on the platform.
However, the Twitter gold tick scam is opening new loopholes that scammers and hackers are exploiting.
Moreover, verified organizations pay a hefty monthly subscription fee of $1,000, plus $50 per month for each affiliated sub account to obtain the gold check mark. This high cost ensures that only legitimate organizations can obtain the gold tick. However, this has not deterred scammers and hackers from trying to exploit the system.
Twitter gold tick scam: Twitter’s verification system needs improvement
Elon Musk restructured Twitter’s verification system extensively to increase its earnings after being acquired, but it’s uncertain if this has helped recover the lost ad revenue. However, the new system has created a lot of confusion.
Previously, the blue tick was a highly sought-after symbol of verification granted to various influential accounts, but the new system has introduced checkmarks in multiple colors, each representing a distinct status. Even fraudulent accounts can display a blue checkmark now.
In short, these are what the check marks on Twitter mean:
Blue tick:
The blue checkmark currently has two meanings. Firstly, it indicates a legacy verified account (verified before Elon Musk took over) used to identify notable accounts representing politicians, celebrities, or activists and to authenticate their identity. Musk has announced that the legacy checkmark will be phased out in the coming months.
Secondly, a blue checkmark can also signify that the account holder has subscribed to it. The only way to distinguish between the two meanings is by clicking on the blue checkmark. Yes, you have to pay to get one.
Gold tick:
The recently introduced checkmark called the “Gold checkmark” is used to indicate that an account belongs to a company or organization.
The social media platform launched the “Blue for Business” plan on December 19, which displays the profile pictures of companies within a square accompanied by a gold checkmark. Yes, you have to pay to get one.
Grey tick:
Twitter recently introduced a new secondary checkmark that is used to verify specific profiles, including those belonging to governments, political parties, media organizations, brands, and some other public figures.
This secondary checkmark was previously a hollow grey checkmark and served as a secondary label. On December 19, Twitter unveiled a new primary light grey checkmark with a colored fill. Sorry, you can’t buy this one just like that!
