Twitter is locking accounts called Elon Musk to fight crypto scams

Tesla CEO Elon
Musk.
AP

• Twitter will now automatically lock any non-verified
  account which changes its display name to Elon Musk.
• This is an effort to combat a recent proliferation of
  cryptocurrency scam-bots, which target the replies under Musk’s
  tweets.
• Any user who can authenticate their account will be
  allowed to retain the name Elon Musk.

Twitter has started locking any unverified accounts that change
their name to Elon Musk in an effort to combat a rash of
cryptocurrency scammers.

According to the Verge, any unverified account without an
associated phone number will be immediately locked out if it
changes its display name to Elon Musk. To regain access, the user
will have to do a CAPTCHA (typing) test and provide a phone
number.

This new measure is to combat a rash of spambots, which have been
hijacking replies to Elon Musk’s tweets. The bots bear Elon
Musk’s display name and profile picture, but their handles are
different. One such example is the Elom Tusk account,
which purported to be giving away free cryptocurrency.

Musk himself was aware of the bots abounding in his replies.

As bots are the primary focus of the crackdown, anyone who can
prove the authenticity of their account is allowed to keep the
name Elon Musk.

A Twitter spokesman told Business Insider: “As part of our
continuing efforts to combat spam and malicious activity on our
service, we’re testing new measures to challenge accounts that
use terms commonly associated with spam campaigns. We are
continually refining these detections based on changes in spammy
activity.”

Business Insider has contacted Tesla for comment.