Portal:AOL-Files/Articles/Restricted Screennames via keyword Names

(Originally by AOL-Files staff member Tau)

A new exploit allows AOL users to create screen names ending with restricted strings. For example, I created the screen name "TauMaintainsAOL". This can be done with other restricted strings as well.

The following is how I made mine. Other methods are likely to work too.

1. Go to keyword: Names. Click "Create a Screen Name". Click "No" on the "Is this screen name for a child screen" then click Continue on the next form until you come to the first step of the screen name process.
2. If you want your name to end with "AOL" then you would follow these steps. The name you put in this first box must be three characters long. For example, I put in "Tau".
3. Click continue after you put in your three character name that the screen name will begin with.
4. You will get a message box saying "The name you have requested is already in use. Please try another name." Click OK on that. Then click "Continue" again on that form.
5. A form will come up that allows you to enter keywords and have AOL suggest a screen name for you. This is where the name is exploited. In the first text box put ten characters. It doesn't matter what character or characters it is just put in ten. For example, you could put "1111111111" which is ten 1's.
6. Leave the second box blank. In the last box you must put a word that is 8 - 12 characters long. If the word is 8 characters you need to add two spaces to the end of it; if 9 then add one character. If the word is 10, 11, or 12 characters long you do not need a space after it. Then put AOL. For example, you can put:
   "Compiles AOL" (8 characters in length + 2 spaces + "AOL")
   "Maintains AOL" (9 characters in length + 1 space + "AOL")
   "MustbecoolAOL" (10 characters long + 0 spaces + "AOL")
7. Click "Continue" on that form and a window will come up with a bunch of screen names that are available for you to choose. If you did it right, one of them should say the name you put in the first box plus whatever you put in the third box on the last form. Mine said "Taumaintainsaol". The casing may be different that how you would like it but currently there is no way to get around this. However, you can still format it using AIM.
8. Double click the name you want and follow the instructions.
9. Bam, you have a restricted screenname.

There is much testing still to be done with this. Please test your ideas and see if anything more can be done. If it didnt work, that either means AOL fixed it, which will not take long, or you did something wrong.

Learn from this.

This exploit is currently 'dead', meaning it will no longer work.