diff --git a/plugins/minecraft_status.py b/plugins/minecraft_status.py
index 8bb7e07..da5cd73 100644
--- a/plugins/minecraft_status.py
+++ b/plugins/minecraft_status.py
@@ -34,21 +34,3 @@ def mcstatus(inp):
 
     return "\x0f" + out.replace(".mojang.com", ".mj") \
                        .replace(".minecraft.net", ".mc")
-
-
-@hook.command("haspaid")
-@hook.command
-def mcpaid(inp):
-    """mcpaid <username> -- Checks if <username> has a premium Minecraft account."""
-
-    user = inp.strip()
-
-    try:
-        status = http.get("http://www.minecraft.net/haspaid.jsp", user=user)
-    except (http.URLError, http.HTTPError) as e:
-        return "Unable to get user registration status: {}".format(e)
-
-    if "true" in status:
-        return 'The account "{}" is a premium Minecraft account!'.format(inp)
-    else:
-        return 'The account "{}" is not a premium Minecraft account!'.format(inp)
diff --git a/plugins/minecraft_user.py b/plugins/minecraft_user.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17e972a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/minecraft_user.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+from util import hook, http
+
+NAME_URL = "https://account.minecraft.net/buy/frame/checkName/{}"
+PAID_URL = "http://www.minecraft.net/haspaid.jsp"
+
+
+class McuError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+def get_status(name):
+    """ takes a name and returns status """
+    try:
+        name_encoded = http.quote_plus(name)
+        response = http.get(NAME_URL.format(name_encoded))
+    except (http.URLError, http.HTTPError) as e:
+        raise McuError("Could not get name status: {}".format(e))
+
+    if "OK" in response:
+        return "free"
+    elif "TAKEN" in response:
+        return "taken"
+    elif "invalid characters" in response:
+        return "invalid"
+
+
+def is_paid(name):
+    """ takes a name and returns true if it's assosiated with a paid minecraft account
+        if the account does not exist or is not paid, returns false """
+    try:
+        response = http.get(PAID_URL, user=name)
+    except (http.URLError, http.HTTPError) as e:
+        raise McuError("Could not get payment status: {}".format(e))
+
+    if "true" in response:
+        return True
+    else:
+        return False
+
+
+@hook.command("haspaid")
+@hook.command("mcstatus")
+@hook.command
+def mcuser(inp):
+    """mcpaid <username> -- Gets information about the Minecraft user <account>."""
+    user = inp.strip()
+
+    try:
+        name_status = get_status(user)
+    except McuError as e:
+        return e
+
+    if name_status == "taken":
+        try:
+            paid = is_paid(user)
+        except McuError as e:
+            return e
+
+        if paid:
+            return u"The account \x02{}\x02 exists and \x02is a paid\x02 minecraft account.".format(user)
+        else:
+            return u"The account \x02{}\x02 exists, but \x02is not a paid\x02 minecraft account.".format(user)
+    elif name_status == "free":
+        return u"The account \x02{}\x02 does not exist.".format(user)
+    elif name_status == "invalid":
+        return u"The name \x02{}\x02 contains invalid characters.".format(user)
+    else:
+        # if you see this, panic
+        return "Unknown Error."
\ No newline at end of file