Garn
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 138
- Reaction score
- 1
[Guide] How to Prevent & Handle a Ban, and Keep Your Account Secure
Okay, so you've recently gotten into botting, or are reasonably experienced but feel further information and knowledge would be a good defense to keep your account(s) safe.
Well, both of you are in the right place and I welcome you, please read the guide written below to hopefully have your questions and concerns cleared up, and to gain further information in getting your ban appealed or keeping your account from being banned.
There is another great guide on this same forum that talks about the same topics as mine, however I feel mine is more specific and comprehensive. If you wish to read the other thread which also provides fantastic information but is a bit lighter and less of a long read click this link: http://www.thebuddyforum.com/ban-section-ban-reports/26380-[guide]-avoiding-banhammer.html
Don't be frightened off by the amount of text, only read the sections you need
[Clearing up misconceptions]
"Omg I got banned, Blizzard is on to us, Martha get me my tinfoil hat and seal the entrances, pour gasoline on the walls of fire!"
As is demonstrated in the clearly exaggerated fake quotation above, many people who receive bans whilst botting immediately assume that Blizzard has caught them directly for running a bot.
In actuality, it is quite rare for Blizzard to actually catch you directly for botting, and ban you. It is more likely that you were banned by an automated system, or due to player reports and a lack of proper investigation by Blizzard.
Here are the most common types of bans:
1. Abuse of the Economy
{A ban for abuse of the economy typically occurs when you are posting large quantities of items on the auction house in a short period of time, or transfer large quantities of gold between accounts. Basically, Blizzard feels you are hurting the economy enough for other players that it warrants a ban.
2. Exploitative Activity: Use of Unauthorized ***** Programs ("Hacks")
{A ban for Exploitative Activity: Use of ... is typically received when Blizzard believes that you are using, well, unauthorized programs such as hacks and/or bots. Keep in mind, these bans are commonly preceded by a 72 hour suspension (NOT ALWAYS) and are frequently automated responses to your movements, location, time played over the course of a certain period of time, and reports by players.}
Okay, so now that you have a better understanding of the different types of bans, and how they are received. Let's move on to avoiding the dreaded ban hammer.
[Avoiding the Ban Hammer]
[Botting Duration]
So, you may be new to botting and think that botting nearly 24/7 or even 24/7 is the fastest way of accruing wealth, reputation, experience, power, whatever it is you want. However keep this in mind, although there are many people quite addicted to this game who play these kinds of hours, most people not only do not, but are bound by physics and biology to be incapable of it. So when you're running around the same path in Twilight Highlands for two weeks straight picking herbs, Blizzard wonders what's up.
It is much more safe to run your bot for no more than 10-12 hours a day. You will hear people claiming that they have botted 24/7 for two years straight, through ban waves without any trouble. This may well be true, but in real life criminals get away all the time, however many are still caught. The point is, just because one person has slipped under the radar, that doesn't mean the thousands of others of bots running rampant are all safe.
[Good Profiles, CCs & Bot Setup]
These are by far the most important things to take into consideration when you get into botting.
Whenever you want to level a new character, grind different mobs, gather different ore and herbs. Always ensure that your profiles and CCs are high quality! I can't stress this point enough! Always read through all of the pages (or at least the first few, and the most recent pages if there are a very large number) and check if anyone is reporting bans from using that profile or CC. Before not downloading it though, make sure there are a sufficient number of reports, and that those people have been botting for decent hours. Even the best profiles and CCs can get you a ban if you use them 24/7. Always look for profiles and CCs made by well known members of the community. This is in no way meant to offend those folks out there who are awesome developers, I just mean leave the testing of the new profiles and CCs to those willing to take extra risks, and those wanting to play it safe should look into profiles and CCs released by well known members. However keep in mind just because a profile was made by someone who is well known, that doesn't make it 100% safe, this is especially true for grinding profiles. Always read through the pages regardless of the author.
[Auction House & Selling Goods]
So you've been running Honorbuddy for a couple of weeks (for no more than 12 hours a day and with good profiles and CCs of course!) and have gathered hundreds of stacks of Whiptail. Now, you may want to post all 674 stacks on the AH at once, but before you do that, take some time to think about it. What kind of regular player playing for regular hours accrues 674 stacks of Whiptail, sure they could have been saving it up for a while. But 647 stacks is very substantial bag space, most regular players sell of their stock frequently and very rarely have such a huge mass at once. Therefore posting these kinds of numbers of any sort of material on the auction house can set off huge red flags for Blizzard, and for other players, resulting in reports and possible bans.
So, now that you've decided not to post all of your stock at once, rather to spread it out to keep it safe. How much to sell it for? Well, you may feel tempted to drastically undercut your competitors to sell quickly. But once again you must think, what kind of regular player is willing to lose that cut of their profit on everything they sell? Certainly only one with basically unlimited quantities. So this too sets off red flags.
[Gear]
Do your best to keep your gear up to date, of course it is possible you've done nothing but gather to level, but this is rare, and having gear that does not match your class, or come anywhere near your level range can set off some serious red flags.
Unfortunately, even if you've read all of this, and tried to be as safe as possible. Botting is always a risk, we all know it, and we all put our accounts at risk every time we start up Honorbuddy.
[Keeping Your Account Secure]
Another way that you are able to receive a ban, is by having your account stolen. This typically occurs when you download illegal software, and/or visit sites that are not exactly safe. Both of these are able to result in viruses and malware being installed on your computer without your knowledge. These viruses are able to damage your computer, as well as steal personal information along with your World of Warcraft login information.
[Authenticator]
The Blizzard authenticator is a small key fob, or application for your iPod touch or smartphone that follows an algorithm synced up with your account that generates a code of letters and numbers that changes every 30 seconds. You will never receive the same code twice and do it changing every thirty seconds the only way for your account to be compromised while it has an authenticator attached to it is if the person/people trying to steal your account contacted Blizzard pretending to be you and had it removed, or if your authenticator or phone were stolen.
Typically it is easy to get your account back in your possession, as well as recover any items and gold that were stolen/deleted. However simple the process is, it is quite a headache and can take up to 10 days, and who wants some random person over the internet playin' their toons? You are best to be cautious and keep your account secure.
[Proper Antivirus Protection]
I'm sure you all know what antivirus software is, so I will not launch into detail about it. I will however provide you with the links to the antivirus and antimalware software that I personally use to keep my information and computer safe with a quick comment about each.
Solutions antivirus - Bitdefender - Le futur de la s?curit? !: Fantastic protection, never ever encountered a virus it didn't catch before it got on my machine. Unfortunately I am not able to use this software because it interferes with Steam and Steam games which I play frequently, so keep that in mind if you go to purchase this.
VIPRE Antivirus Software Won't Slow Down Your Computer: Exactly what the website claims, fantastic protection from a wide variety of viruses and malware, great real time protection and is incredibly lightweight so running a scan doesn't bog down your system and make it a hassle to do.
Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware, anti-virus and spyware removal download: Great lightweight tool, more of a backup to me than a full antivirus solution. But that is exactly what it is designed to be so it's perfect. It will protect you from malware, but for complete safety always go for an antivirus suite such as the two above.
I advise you not to have multiple antivirus software installed on your computer, stick to a single one that you have found to work and that you trust.
So if you're one of the unlucky ones and you received a suspension or a ban, please read on and hopefully you will find a solution.
[NOTE] If you receive a ban, please do not immediately assume there is a banwave, and especially please do not place blame of Bossland, Tony, or any of the other awesome people that work to provide us with this fantastic tool.
We all know the risks we take when we start up Honorbuddy, and the team here are in no way at fault. They've done a marvelous job at keeping Honorbuddy secure from bans.
Please post your ban in this forum in this format:
so that the Honorbuddy team can get a better idea of what the most bans and suspensions can come from and so fellow community members may avoid what got you banned. [NOTE]
[72 Hour Suspension]
Suspensions are typically received due to you triggering some of Blizzard's safeguards and receiving an automated suspension, not by actual observation of your actions.
Many people say to appeal these suspensions, I however feel you are much better riding it out. With the understanding that you've done something against the rules, and have been lucky enough to avoid a permanent ban. You do not want to start an appeal, only to have them investigate further and give you a permanent ban. Typically these suspensions run their 72 hour course and go away properly. Sometimes however you will still receive messages informing you that you have been suspended, without any timeframe given. Only then should you contact Blizzard.
[Permanent Ban]
So here we are, you've done everything right, you've played by the rules of botting, but you still got slapped with a ban. Do not go getting angry at Blizzard and sending them angry emails, remain calm and think. You did something you knew to be against their rules, you took the risk, and you received the punishment.
Now that you're level headed and completely understand and accept the situation, you can move on to attempting to remedy it. Many will suggest that you inform Blizzard that you've been hacked and it was not you who committed the offenses for which you were banned. I however think this a terrible approach. It may work for some, but keep in mind Blizzard can easily realize this is a fabrication, refuse to unban your account, and close the investigation altogether, not allowing you to get in contact with them to continue trying to appeal the decision.
This is why I feel you are much better off with a sob story and a little bit of the truth. I will even provide you with this email that you may read, and then re-write a similar one to send to Blizzard during your appeal process. You can of course directly copy this one, but then Blizzard will catch on, and it may no longer have as good a chance as working. I have been kind enough to provide it, this is the email I use, please don't stop it from working for you, me, or anyone else, write your own, but use it as a guide. It's just more polite.
The email is short and sweet, it provides points that are completely true, lies just a little to increase their sympathy, and best of all, lacks specifics, so even if they do not immediately unban your account, they are unlikely to have grounds on which to close the investigation, merely to not unban you for the time-being. This allows you to continue correspondence with them, and hopefully get your account back.
Many people will also tell you to send Blizzard an email a day, just keep sending them until you get your unban. Personally I think you are far better of sending no more than two emails a week, but whatever works for you.
I hope this guide has helped both you new and advanced botters, and has assisted you in dodging the banhammer, as well as repairing the damage it's caused.
:If you have any questions or have something you feel I should add (had ass written there for a long time without noticing ><) just leave a response and I will reply when I can:
Okay, so you've recently gotten into botting, or are reasonably experienced but feel further information and knowledge would be a good defense to keep your account(s) safe.
Well, both of you are in the right place and I welcome you, please read the guide written below to hopefully have your questions and concerns cleared up, and to gain further information in getting your ban appealed or keeping your account from being banned.
There is another great guide on this same forum that talks about the same topics as mine, however I feel mine is more specific and comprehensive. If you wish to read the other thread which also provides fantastic information but is a bit lighter and less of a long read click this link: http://www.thebuddyforum.com/ban-section-ban-reports/26380-[guide]-avoiding-banhammer.html
Don't be frightened off by the amount of text, only read the sections you need
[Clearing up misconceptions]
"Omg I got banned, Blizzard is on to us, Martha get me my tinfoil hat and seal the entrances, pour gasoline on the walls of fire!"
As is demonstrated in the clearly exaggerated fake quotation above, many people who receive bans whilst botting immediately assume that Blizzard has caught them directly for running a bot.
In actuality, it is quite rare for Blizzard to actually catch you directly for botting, and ban you. It is more likely that you were banned by an automated system, or due to player reports and a lack of proper investigation by Blizzard.
Here are the most common types of bans:
1. Abuse of the Economy
{A ban for abuse of the economy typically occurs when you are posting large quantities of items on the auction house in a short period of time, or transfer large quantities of gold between accounts. Basically, Blizzard feels you are hurting the economy enough for other players that it warrants a ban.
2. Exploitative Activity: Use of Unauthorized ***** Programs ("Hacks")
{A ban for Exploitative Activity: Use of ... is typically received when Blizzard believes that you are using, well, unauthorized programs such as hacks and/or bots. Keep in mind, these bans are commonly preceded by a 72 hour suspension (NOT ALWAYS) and are frequently automated responses to your movements, location, time played over the course of a certain period of time, and reports by players.}
Okay, so now that you have a better understanding of the different types of bans, and how they are received. Let's move on to avoiding the dreaded ban hammer.
[Avoiding the Ban Hammer]
[Botting Duration]
So, you may be new to botting and think that botting nearly 24/7 or even 24/7 is the fastest way of accruing wealth, reputation, experience, power, whatever it is you want. However keep this in mind, although there are many people quite addicted to this game who play these kinds of hours, most people not only do not, but are bound by physics and biology to be incapable of it. So when you're running around the same path in Twilight Highlands for two weeks straight picking herbs, Blizzard wonders what's up.
It is much more safe to run your bot for no more than 10-12 hours a day. You will hear people claiming that they have botted 24/7 for two years straight, through ban waves without any trouble. This may well be true, but in real life criminals get away all the time, however many are still caught. The point is, just because one person has slipped under the radar, that doesn't mean the thousands of others of bots running rampant are all safe.
[Good Profiles, CCs & Bot Setup]
These are by far the most important things to take into consideration when you get into botting.
Whenever you want to level a new character, grind different mobs, gather different ore and herbs. Always ensure that your profiles and CCs are high quality! I can't stress this point enough! Always read through all of the pages (or at least the first few, and the most recent pages if there are a very large number) and check if anyone is reporting bans from using that profile or CC. Before not downloading it though, make sure there are a sufficient number of reports, and that those people have been botting for decent hours. Even the best profiles and CCs can get you a ban if you use them 24/7. Always look for profiles and CCs made by well known members of the community. This is in no way meant to offend those folks out there who are awesome developers, I just mean leave the testing of the new profiles and CCs to those willing to take extra risks, and those wanting to play it safe should look into profiles and CCs released by well known members. However keep in mind just because a profile was made by someone who is well known, that doesn't make it 100% safe, this is especially true for grinding profiles. Always read through the pages regardless of the author.
[Auction House & Selling Goods]
So you've been running Honorbuddy for a couple of weeks (for no more than 12 hours a day and with good profiles and CCs of course!) and have gathered hundreds of stacks of Whiptail. Now, you may want to post all 674 stacks on the AH at once, but before you do that, take some time to think about it. What kind of regular player playing for regular hours accrues 674 stacks of Whiptail, sure they could have been saving it up for a while. But 647 stacks is very substantial bag space, most regular players sell of their stock frequently and very rarely have such a huge mass at once. Therefore posting these kinds of numbers of any sort of material on the auction house can set off huge red flags for Blizzard, and for other players, resulting in reports and possible bans.
So, now that you've decided not to post all of your stock at once, rather to spread it out to keep it safe. How much to sell it for? Well, you may feel tempted to drastically undercut your competitors to sell quickly. But once again you must think, what kind of regular player is willing to lose that cut of their profit on everything they sell? Certainly only one with basically unlimited quantities. So this too sets off red flags.
[Gear]
Do your best to keep your gear up to date, of course it is possible you've done nothing but gather to level, but this is rare, and having gear that does not match your class, or come anywhere near your level range can set off some serious red flags.
Unfortunately, even if you've read all of this, and tried to be as safe as possible. Botting is always a risk, we all know it, and we all put our accounts at risk every time we start up Honorbuddy.
[Keeping Your Account Secure]
Another way that you are able to receive a ban, is by having your account stolen. This typically occurs when you download illegal software, and/or visit sites that are not exactly safe. Both of these are able to result in viruses and malware being installed on your computer without your knowledge. These viruses are able to damage your computer, as well as steal personal information along with your World of Warcraft login information.
[Authenticator]
The Blizzard authenticator is a small key fob, or application for your iPod touch or smartphone that follows an algorithm synced up with your account that generates a code of letters and numbers that changes every 30 seconds. You will never receive the same code twice and do it changing every thirty seconds the only way for your account to be compromised while it has an authenticator attached to it is if the person/people trying to steal your account contacted Blizzard pretending to be you and had it removed, or if your authenticator or phone were stolen.
Typically it is easy to get your account back in your possession, as well as recover any items and gold that were stolen/deleted. However simple the process is, it is quite a headache and can take up to 10 days, and who wants some random person over the internet playin' their toons? You are best to be cautious and keep your account secure.
[Proper Antivirus Protection]
I'm sure you all know what antivirus software is, so I will not launch into detail about it. I will however provide you with the links to the antivirus and antimalware software that I personally use to keep my information and computer safe with a quick comment about each.
Solutions antivirus - Bitdefender - Le futur de la s?curit? !: Fantastic protection, never ever encountered a virus it didn't catch before it got on my machine. Unfortunately I am not able to use this software because it interferes with Steam and Steam games which I play frequently, so keep that in mind if you go to purchase this.
VIPRE Antivirus Software Won't Slow Down Your Computer: Exactly what the website claims, fantastic protection from a wide variety of viruses and malware, great real time protection and is incredibly lightweight so running a scan doesn't bog down your system and make it a hassle to do.
Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware, anti-virus and spyware removal download: Great lightweight tool, more of a backup to me than a full antivirus solution. But that is exactly what it is designed to be so it's perfect. It will protect you from malware, but for complete safety always go for an antivirus suite such as the two above.
I advise you not to have multiple antivirus software installed on your computer, stick to a single one that you have found to work and that you trust.
So if you're one of the unlucky ones and you received a suspension or a ban, please read on and hopefully you will find a solution.
[NOTE] If you receive a ban, please do not immediately assume there is a banwave, and especially please do not place blame of Bossland, Tony, or any of the other awesome people that work to provide us with this fantastic tool.
We all know the risks we take when we start up Honorbuddy, and the team here are in no way at fault. They've done a marvelous job at keeping Honorbuddy secure from bans.
Please post your ban in this forum in this format:
Code:
1)Were you using Honorbuddy, Gatherbuddy or both on the account?
2)If so, when was the last time?:
3)What profile were you using?:
4)What combat class were you using? if None Just put Default then the Classname:
5)What plugins are you using?:
6)How many hours per day did you bot for?:
6.5)What honest percentage of time did you supervise your bot?
7)How many auctions per day did you have?:
8)Did you Use Any Other Bots, Hacks, or Mods?
9)Was your account involved in gold selling?
10)EU or US realm?[72 Hour Suspension]
Suspensions are typically received due to you triggering some of Blizzard's safeguards and receiving an automated suspension, not by actual observation of your actions.
Many people say to appeal these suspensions, I however feel you are much better riding it out. With the understanding that you've done something against the rules, and have been lucky enough to avoid a permanent ban. You do not want to start an appeal, only to have them investigate further and give you a permanent ban. Typically these suspensions run their 72 hour course and go away properly. Sometimes however you will still receive messages informing you that you have been suspended, without any timeframe given. Only then should you contact Blizzard.
[Permanent Ban]
So here we are, you've done everything right, you've played by the rules of botting, but you still got slapped with a ban. Do not go getting angry at Blizzard and sending them angry emails, remain calm and think. You did something you knew to be against their rules, you took the risk, and you received the punishment.
Now that you're level headed and completely understand and accept the situation, you can move on to attempting to remedy it. Many will suggest that you inform Blizzard that you've been hacked and it was not you who committed the offenses for which you were banned. I however think this a terrible approach. It may work for some, but keep in mind Blizzard can easily realize this is a fabrication, refuse to unban your account, and close the investigation altogether, not allowing you to get in contact with them to continue trying to appeal the decision.
This is why I feel you are much better off with a sob story and a little bit of the truth. I will even provide you with this email that you may read, and then re-write a similar one to send to Blizzard during your appeal process. You can of course directly copy this one, but then Blizzard will catch on, and it may no longer have as good a chance as working. I have been kind enough to provide it, this is the email I use, please don't stop it from working for you, me, or anyone else, write your own, but use it as a guide. It's just more polite.
Code:
I've decided I'm better off keeping the exact email I use to myself, however if you're in need of an example feel free to PM me :)The email is short and sweet, it provides points that are completely true, lies just a little to increase their sympathy, and best of all, lacks specifics, so even if they do not immediately unban your account, they are unlikely to have grounds on which to close the investigation, merely to not unban you for the time-being. This allows you to continue correspondence with them, and hopefully get your account back.
Many people will also tell you to send Blizzard an email a day, just keep sending them until you get your unban. Personally I think you are far better of sending no more than two emails a week, but whatever works for you.
I hope this guide has helped both you new and advanced botters, and has assisted you in dodging the banhammer, as well as repairing the damage it's caused.
:If you have any questions or have something you feel I should add (had ass written there for a long time without noticing ><) just leave a response and I will reply when I can:
Last edited:
Thx
