Why I had to beg Twitter to permanently suspend my Twitter account

Getting hacked can't happen to you of course, but it did happen to me

A while back I received a notice that a password I used on one company’s site was part of a hack where that company’s data had been compromised. Various monitoring agencies like to tell me that my personal data is spread across the dark web essentially (at least that is how I read it when I get those darn reports). Anyway, I’ve tried to be better about not using the same passwords places but I’ve had Twitter forever and really was neglecting my account anyway by not using it much. I changed my passwords “important” places but didn’t think about Twitter. Anyway, I only had an email set up with them and apparently someone likely used data to log in to my account with the email and then change my password and the email associated with the account (they didn’t need to have actual access to my email and I didn’t have 2 factor authentication setup for twitter). Anyway, at this point there was basically no way of getting my account back really since I didn’t have things like my phone set up with Twitter, etc. I exhausted all sorts of options with Twitter starting on 7/23/21 until today 8/10/21 trying to have my account either restored to me or suspended (on day 1 on 7/23/21 I told them I was fine with them suspending it so a hacker couldn’t pretend they were me). It would often take Twitter forever to respond and when they did they basically said sorry about your luck and we can’t verify you’re the original owner of the account, etc. Ultimately, I had to start a new twitter account @NexusLetters which I then used to bait the hacker at my old Twitter account in to violating Twitter’s terms of services by asking them to sell me the username back. I of course did not agree to pay the $20,000 they wanted for a Twitter account I barely ever used anymore (the hacker of course made statements in direct messages admitting it was my account and offering to sell it for $20,000). I reported the hacker’s DM’s and I also sent loads of screenshots to Twitter and repeatedly spammed Twitter essentially with continued complaints and added screenshots of Twitter emails back to me saying they couldn’t help until eventually they did. Twitter “helping” of course was them permanently suspending my @DrFinnerty Twitter account. Oof, it is a bittersweet “victory” at this point. However, if you’ve learned that your data was compromised in a hack it makes sense to be proactive and change passwords, etc. everywhere- even the places you forgot about like Twitter. I’ve also been great about using 2 factor authentication places that I thought were important, but I suppose whenever the option exists I will always use it from now on. I do have a new business related account that I may use @NexusLetters but @DrFinnerty is gone forever at this point and won’t be coming back.

Subject: Case# 0223432618: Regain access – Hacked or compromised [ ref:_00DA0K0A8._5004w2CSvGn:ref ]From:Twitter Support Date:Tue, Aug 10, 2021 8:29 amTo:“toddfinnerty@toddfinnerty.com”
Hello,
 
Your account was permanently suspended due to multiple or repeat violations of the Twitter Rules: https://twitter.com/rules.
 
This account will not be restored.

This case will now be closed and replies will not be monitored. 
 
Thanks,
 
Twitter
Subject: Your Twitter account From:Victoria Richard <victoriarichard810@gmail.com>
Date:Mon, Aug 09, 2021 6:19 pmTo:“toddfinnerty@toddfinnerty.com”
Hello  Todd Finnerty Psy.D.   You can definitely can back your account for $20k kindly reply if you’re interested in get it back now.    I’m sorry for the inconvenience.