Great report on the Twitter and account selling racket

[(O_o)]

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/usenixsecurity13/sec13-paper_thomas.pdf

We estimate that the total revenue generated by the
underground account market through the sale of Twitter
credentials is between the range of $127,000– $459,000
over the course of a year. We note that many of the
merchants we track simultaneously sell accounts for a
variety of web services, so this value likely represents
only a fraction of their overall revenue. Nevertheless,
our estimated income is far less than the revenue generated from actually sending spam [17] or selling fake antivirus [25], where revenue is estimated in the tens of millions. As such, account merchants are merely stepping
stones for larger criminal enterprises, which in turn disseminate scams, phishing, and malware throughout Twitter

Somewhere in India//Pakistan//Russia//Ukraine there are nurgas driving lambos and burning stacks of euros all from their account hustles. The internet is an insanely huge place and there is enough $ for everyone. This proves that there are so many ways to make money online you just have to be creative and better than everyone else in your industry.

 

[shindig]

In chinese prisons they make prisoners farm gold in MMO's to sell. Internet is an amazing thing.

 

[Johnathan]

In chinese prisons they make prisoners farm gold in MMO's to sell. Internet is an amazing thing.

That's exactly how I got my start in this game, minus the Chinese. My gold was straight from the good ol' USA. Internet equals wild wild west.

 

[2yl From WF]

generated by the
underground account market through the sale of Twitter
credentials is between the range of $127,000– $459,000
over the course of a year.

That number seems very low.

 

[Veritas]

That's insane digits.

 

[microphone head]

That figure is per person yeah?

 

[lincolndsp]

the figures don't include the net after costs so they are even much less for the whole internet - it's a tiny percentage of a drop

 

[juntao65]

Didn't read article but from your quote total revenue for whole MARKET is between $127,000– $459,000 over the course of a year.


Wow balling out of control.









(not srs)

 

[shawnhag]

yea i agree - doesnt seem like that much money especially when you take into consderation all of the costs involved with this industry, chargebacks, and customer support.


balling out of control



also not serious

 

[Insaint]

The $127k-$459k figure accounts for only 10-20% of the total accounts flagged for spam by Twitter. So the total revenue should be quite a bit higher.

The above figure was for 27 merchants, so not exactly Lambo money per person. Though I guess they sell a shitton of other services.

 

[(O_o)]

Yes the total revenue is MUCH higher.

Also the revenue that was GENERATED from usage of those accounts is very very very much higher, 6-7 figures.