# OGUsers

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Internet forum

OGUsers Logo Type of site Internet forum Available in English Owner "arc" Founder "Ace"[1] URL oguser.com Advertising Yes Commercial Yes Registration Optional (required to participate) Launched April 2017; 9 years ago[2]

**OGUsers** (**OGU**)[3] is an [Internet forum](/source/Internet_forum) that facilitates discussing and buying [social media](/source/Social_media) accounts and online [usernames](/source/User_(computing)).[4][5] Established in 2017, the website is dedicated to the buying and selling of "rare" or "[OG](/source/Originality)" online accounts that are considered valuable due to their name, age or unique features such as Minecraft [MineCon](/source/MineCon) capes.[6] The website acts as a platform for [cybercrime](/source/Cybercrime) and the [harassment](/source/Harassment) of individuals for access to their online accounts.[7][8][9][10][11] Several high-profile incidents have been linked to the forum, most notably the [2020 Twitter account hijacking](/source/2020_Twitter_account_hijacking).[12]

## Incidents

The site has been linked to various [SIM swap scams](/source/SIM_swap_scam), where discussion took place on [identity theft](/source/Identity_theft) methods to change login information for online accounts.[13][14]

[Graham Ivan Clark](/source/Graham_Ivan_Clark), regarded as the "mastermind" behind the [2020 Twitter account hijacking](/source/2020_Twitter_account_hijacking), was a former forum member.[15] Two participants, Mason Sheppard and Nima Fazeli, were brokers in selling [Twitter](/source/Twitter) handles on the website.[16]

In 2020, a man from [Tennessee](/source/Tennessee) died from a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction) [during a swatting](/source/2020_Tennessee_swatting). An individual in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) was attempting to coerce the man for an online username by utilizing tactics of the site, with him later being sentenced to five years in prison.[17][18]

### Security breaches

The website was hacked in May 2019, with the administrator of [RaidForums](/source/RaidForums) uploading the website database for anyone to access.[19] In December 2020, the website was hacked again, and user data was stolen.[20]

## Reception

[Brian Krebs](/source/Brian_Krebs), an American journalist and [investigative reporter](/source/Investigative_journalism) known for the coverage of cybercriminals, has described the forum as "overrun with shady characters who are there mainly to rip off other members."[11] In his report, he described how [Facebook](/source/Facebook), [Instagram](/source/Instagram), [TikTok](/source/TikTok), and Twitter have taken steps to crack down on users of the forums involved in the trafficking of hijacked accounts.[21] Facebook told Krebs that the forum uses various tactics, such as harassment, intimidation, hacking, [coercion](/source/Coercion), [extortion](/source/Extortion), [sextortion](/source/Sextortion), SIM swapping, and swatting.[11]

## See also

- [BlackHatWorld](/source/BlackHatWorld)

- [BreachForums](/source/BreachForums)

- [Dark0de](/source/Dark0de)

- [Hack Forums](/source/Hack_Forums)

- [Hydra Market](/source/Hydra_Market)

- [Nulled](/source/Nulled)

- [RaidForums](/source/RaidForums)

- [ShinyHunters](/source/ShinyHunters)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Admin of Forum Where Users Trade Stolen Instagrams: Hacking Is 'Not Our Problem'"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/ogusers-sim-swapping-instagram-hacking/). *Vice.com*. 19 July 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225052201/https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kyd8k/ogusers-sim-swapping-instagram-hacking) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Ramasubramanian, Sowmya (22 February 2021). ["Instagram accounts take downs and the role of 'OGUsers' explained"](https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/instagram-accounts-take-downs-and-the-role-of-ogusers-explained/article33902104.ece). *The Hindu*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0971-751X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225050733/https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/instagram-accounts-take-downs-and-the-role-of-ogusers-explained/article33902104.ece) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Hackers' forum hacked, OGUsers database dumped (again)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220809074159/https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/04/06/hackers-forum-hacked-ogusers-database-dumped-again/). *Naked Security*. 6 April 2020. Archived from [the original](https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/04/06/hackers-forum-hacked-ogusers-database-dumped-again/) on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Pastrana, Sergio; Hutchings, Alice; Thomas, Daniel; Tapiador, Juan (21 October 2019). ["Measuring eWhoring"](https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sp849/files/IMC_2019_measuring-ewhoring.pdf) (PDF). *University of Cambridge*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225051520/https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sp849/files/IMC_2019_measuring-ewhoring.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Newman, Lily Hay. ["A Coordinated Takedown Targets 'OGUser' Account Thieves"](https://www.wired.com/story/oguser-instagram-twitter-tiktok-takedown/). *Wired*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1059-1028](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1059-1028). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225045240/https://www.wired.com/story/oguser-instagram-twitter-tiktok-takedown/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Serapiglia, Anthony (2019). ["Cybersecurity and Cryptocurrencies: Introducing ecosystem vulnerabilities through current events"](https://proc.iscap.info/2019/cases/5110.pdf) (PDF). *Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225053217/https://proc.iscap.info/2019/cases/5110.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hackread.com_7-0)** ["OGUsers hacker forum hacked for 4th time; database leaked"](https://www.hackread.com/ogusers-hacker-forum-hacked-database-leaked/). 29 April 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225052457/https://www.hackread.com/ogusers-hacker-forum-hacked-database-leaked/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["The Hackers Who Can Hijack Your SIM Card Using Only Your Phone Number"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/hackers-sim-swapping-steal-phone-numbers-instagram-bitcoin/). *Vice.com*. 17 July 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225052628/https://www.vice.com/en/article/vbqax3/hackers-sim-swapping-steal-phone-numbers-instagram-bitcoin) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Harassing texts. Unwanted deliveries. Fake bomb threats that bring police to the door. Inside the tactics cybercriminals use to get social media users to surrender their accounts"](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cybercriminals-social-media-accounts-harass-extort/). *www.cbsnews.com*. 25 September 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225045432/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cybercriminals-social-media-accounts-harass-extort/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Lorenz, Taylor (4 February 2021). ["Instagram Bans Hundreds of Accounts With Stolen User Names"](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/style/instagram-account-fraud-ban.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225045430/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/style/instagram-account-fraud-ban.html) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_11-2) ["Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter Target Resellers of Hacked Accounts – Krebs on Security"](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/02/facebook-instagram-tiktok-and-twitter-target-resellers-of-hacked-accounts/). *KrebsonSecurity*. 4 February 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225061431/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/02/facebook-instagram-tiktok-and-twitter-target-resellers-of-hacked-accounts/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Ghosh, Isobel Asher Hamilton, Shona. ["A hacker forum obsessed with super-short 'OG' handles was selling Twitter account access for $3,000 days before the giant hack"](https://www.businessinsider.com/og-twitter-hacker-forum-selling-accounts-ahead-of-giant-hack-2020-7). *Business Insider*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225052805/https://www.businessinsider.com/og-twitter-hacker-forum-selling-accounts-ahead-of-giant-hack-2020-7) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Morris, Alex (8 July 2022). ["How 'Baby Al Capone' Pulled Off a $24 Million Crypto Heist"](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/crypto-heist-teenage-hacker-ellis-pinsky-1367400/). *Rolling Stone*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225053939/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/crypto-heist-teenage-hacker-ellis-pinsky-1367400/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Hicks, Jasmine (20 October 2021). ["Two SIM swappers phished a phone company so they could steal $16K in crypto"](https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/20/22736474/sim-swapping-crypto-currency-wireless-thief-guilty). *The Verge*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225054247/https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/20/22736474/sim-swapping-crypto-currency-wireless-thief-guilty) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Goodin, Dan (17 March 2021). ["I was a teenage Twitter hacker. Graham Ivan Clark gets 3-year sentence"](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/i-was-a-teenage-twitter-hacker-graham-ivan-clark-gets-3-year-sentence/). *Ars Technica*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225055917/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/i-was-a-teenage-twitter-hacker-graham-ivan-clark-gets-3-year-sentence/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["How the FBI tracked down the Twitter hackers"](https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-the-fbi-tracked-down-the-twitter-hackers/). *ZDNET*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225060123/https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-the-fbi-tracked-down-the-twitter-hackers/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Price, Rob. ["'I want your Instagram account': First came the threatening texts, followed by the SWAT teams. Then someone wound up dead"](https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7). *Business Insider*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230302094131/https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7) from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Cramer, Maria (24 July 2021). ["A Grandfather Died in 'Swatting' Over His Twitter Handle, Officials Say"](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/mark-herring-swatting-tennessee.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230302094121/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/mark-herring-swatting-tennessee.html) from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Account Hijacking Forum OGusers Hacked – Krebs on Security"](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2019/05/account-hijacking-forum-ogusers-hacked/). 22 May 2019. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225062411/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2019/05/account-hijacking-forum-ogusers-hacked/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Stolen credentials forum OGUsers hacked again with user data stolen"](https://siliconangle.com/2020/12/02/stolen-credentials-forum-ogusers-hacked-user-data-stolen/). *SiliconANGLE*. 2 December 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225062638/https://siliconangle.com/2020/12/02/stolen-credentials-forum-ogusers-hacked-user-data-stolen/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter crack down on 'OGUsers' theft ring"](https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/facebook-instagram-tiktok-and-twitter-crack-down-on-ogusers-theft-ring/). *CNET*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230225061453/https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/facebook-instagram-tiktok-and-twitter-crack-down-on-ogusers-theft-ring/) from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [OGUsers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OGUsers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OGUsers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.