A viral prank is getting some Twitter users locked out of their accounts.
Tweets that promise you’ll receive new color schemes, admin privileges, or even a verified check mark for changing your birthday have been circulating on the platform. But if you fall for the trick, all you will end up with is a Twitter account you can no longer use.
We all love the little hacks that let us unlock hidden features inside our favorite apps — like the one that activates a new dark mode in Facebook Messenger. But you should be careful about which ones you try out for yourself. It seems some are just frustrating pranks.
Here’s one you’ll want to avoid on Twitter.
Don’t get locked out of Twitter
It is being claimed that if you change your birthday to 2007 inside your Twitter profile settings, you will unlock new goodies. Some say those include new color themes, while others even promise a blue verified check mark.
But you won’t get any of that. Instead, Twitter will think you’re under 13 — the minimum age you must be to use its service — and it will lock you out of your account.
“In order to create a Twitter account, you must be at least 13 years old,” reads the email you’ll receive soon after. “Twitter has determined that you don’t meet these age requirements, so your account has been locked and removed from Twitter.”
You can get your account back
The prank has become a big enough issue that Twitter Support has had to warn users not to fall for it.
https://twitter.com/TwitterSupport/status/1110641101822517248
You can get your account back if you get locked out, but it isn’t easy. You’ll have to contact Twitter Support and provide a photo of a government-issued ID to prove you are over 13.
