It happens with a lot of people, where they come up with a supposedly unique username for their Twitter account. But, when they try to sign up on the website using that username, a notification pops up that this username has already been taken. The most annoying part about this is some of these accounts with the username that new Twitter users want to opt for are not even active on Twitter! These accounts lie idle with no recent activity, and thus a totally fitting username for a new account wastes away in the inactive part of the social networking website. So, one might question whether one can claim the username of an inactive user. Well, the answer is pretty complicated. Read on to find out.
According to Twitter’s official Help Center, an inactive account refers to such an account that has had no activity (including any login attempts or posts) from the last 6 months. According to Twitter’s policy, it does not release inactive usernames for free use currently. It suggests one to change one’s username by adding or deleting alphabets and numbers from it, use underscores and abbreviations or choose a different username altogether. Make your Twitter account bright and unusual with the Bigbangram tool. Dozens of different fonts are at your disposal to make you stand out from the crowd.
But that’s not all; there are still ways for one to claim a username that has already been taken by an inactive account. Yes, it’s true! Certain third-party websites like freshengagements.com that provide social media assistance can help one claim an already taken and inactive Twitter username. Don’t worry; It is not a scam or illegal. It is a legitimate service used by many Twitter users and is 100% risk-free. Besides this, one can easily avail their services from their website with access to responsive customer support.
Firstly, one needs to make sure that the username one is trying to claim and one’s current Twitter account fits the given criteria:
- The account whose username one wants to claim should have been inactive for the past One and Half years or longer. That means the account must not have posted in the last 1.5 years.
- The username that one wishes to claim should be similar to one’s present Twitter handle. For example, if one’s current Twitter username is @BettyS153, one might be able to claim @BettyS but not @JamieCyrus.
- The username that one wants to claim should be six characters or longer.
- The username to be claimed must not be a generic word like @Earth or @Sunday.
- Besides this, one’s the current Twitter account:
- Must be active
- Should have 30 posts or more
- Should have a few thousand followers.
Secondly, one needs to be familiar with the process of how to apply for a username claim on fresh engagements or any other such website. As in the case of fresh engagements, it is a fairly easy process on the user’s side, and one can easily visit their website for information about furthering such an issue.
Lastly, let’s talk about money. Services like these can be pretty expensive, and one might require to pay thousands of dollars to get one’s work done. But, if one looks at one’s Twitter username as an investment to further one’s business or get financial gains, then the price might seem quite affordable. After all, social media is one of the biggest sources for a company’s interaction with its customers and builds good PR.
The service is also refundable. So, in case one is unable to claim one’s chosen username due to denial of one’s request by the social network site (or any such reason), the payment is fully refunded.
If one is still looking for more affordable ways to claim an already taken and inactive username on Twitter, one can still try the following methods:
Contact the account owner directly
Directly contact the Twitter user either on their Twitter account (which most probably would not be active) or a social media account of any other platform which may be mentioned on the user’s Twitter account. This way, one can talk to them directly and make some negotiations.
Try reporting a Trademark issue
Besides this, if one is trying to claim a username that is one’s trademark (brand or otherwise), then filing a trademark dispute could be an option. This is a legal process, so one must have all relevant documents at hand in case of furtherance of the dispute.
File for impersonation
One can still try to claim an inactive username even if one’s account is a personal or individual account with no trademark. This can be done by reporting for impersonation either directly from that account’s profile or filing an impersonation report at Twitter’s Help Center. This does not guarantee to get the desired username but is worth a try. It is also recommended for one to own an email address and domain name with the same username that one is trying to claim before applying for it.
Do not delay
As time passes by, many new accounts open up on Twitter, and they have the potential to pre-claim a username that one wants to use for themselves in the future. So, if one comes up with an original username that one wishes to use in the future, then it is advisable to already make an account with that username. This will secure the username and can easily be used by one in the future without having to go through the hassle of trying to claim an inactive account.
So, all-in-all, yes, you can claim an inactive username on Twitter though it is not always possible due to certain restrictions. Especially as years pass by, the chances of getting a username that one desire are getting slim as some usernames are already claimed by other users in the past. Hence, it is essential to act quickly, try to come up with another username that fits, or take the help of social media services like fresh engagements to try and claim a previously-claimed username.
