Frequently Asked Questions - Read Me!

Customer Service Forum - Frequently Asked Questions


* This forum FAQ will be regularly updated based on questions frequently asked on the Customer Service forum. Additional threads on the following topics maybe be locked. *


Table of Contents:

1. Compromised ("Hacked") Accounts
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#1

2. Paid Character Transfer Service
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#2

3. Virtual Property (Character & Item) Restorations / Escalations
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#3

4. Naming Concerns
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#4

5. Realm Performance/Stability & Technical Issues
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#5

6. Class & General Functionality Concerns
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#6

7. AFK Behavior in Battlegrounds
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#7

8. General Information - In-Game Support Department
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#10

9. General Information - Forum Avatars
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#11

10. General Information – Tickets Regarding Raid Issues
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#12

11. General Information – TCG Loot Card Redemption
https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1#13

1. Compromised ("Hacked") Accounts

• Help me! My password seems to have been changed and I can no longer access my account. How do I secure my account?
  
  
  To restore access to your account as quickly as possible, please visit our Account Recovery page and be prepared to answer your secret question:
  
  https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/loginsupport/
  
  If you no longer remember the answer to your secret question, please follow the instructions listed on the following Billing & Account Services page:
  
  http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowbilling/?id=abl01998p
  
  
  
• Why did an investigator lock my account?
  
  
  In some rare cases when the account is deemed to be at risk, it will be temporarily disabled in order to prevent any further damage from taking place. The rightful owner of the account will then be sent an e-mail detailing our Account Retrieval process. By following the steps outlined in our Account Retrieval process, the rightful owner will be able to resume their adventures in the World of Warcraft. This process is handled by our Account Administration department. Any players inquiring about a locked account should submit their concerns via email to WoWaccountadmin@blizzard.com.
  
  
  
• I have submitted a fax to the Account Administration department and received no word back from them. Why is my account still locked?
  
  
  Each day, Account Administration receives many faxes. Due to the limitations of facsimile technology, some of these faxes are so dark, light or completely blank that we are unable to identify the sender and request a refax. These faxes are collectively categorized as illegible. However, even legible faxes take time to process. If, after sending your fax, you do not receive a reply from the Account Administration department within 48 hours, please resend your fax and notify us of the refax at WoWaccountadmin@blizzard.com.
  
  Since the Account Administration department receives faxes digitally, illegible faxes are most likely a result of line noise. You may meet with better results by faxing from another location or switching your fax machine to another phone jack. However, simply re-faxing may also produce an acceptable submission, as line noise issues originating outside of the fax machine's physical location may not be encountered again; a different circuit is used each time you place a call or send a fax.
  
  
  
• I have changed my password and had access restored to my account, but all of my characters are deleted. How can I get them back?
  
  
  You will now need to contact our Game Master department via an in-game petition from any character on your account (create a new character, if necessary). You may also submit an e-mail to WoWgm@blizzard.com; however, ALL reports of a compromised account must come from a character on the account, the registered email address of the account, or an account registered to someone with the same last name. Your claim will then be forwarded onto our Account Investigators for further analysis.
  
  
  
• My account is secure again and a Game Master restored my characters; however, I'm still waiting for an update on all of my missing items and someone closed my ticket. Did Blizzard forget about me?
  
  
  We have not forgotten about you. The report of your missing items was forwarded internally to our Account Investigators, who will work to determine how the account was compromised, while also verifying the loss of any items as a result of the incident. A petition no longer needs to remain open under such circumstances. Due to the nature of these investigations, as well as the number of such incidents which must be processed, it may take some time for us to contact you with further information. Rest assured, as soon as more information becomes available, you will be contacted via the e-mail address registered to the account. Until that time, your patience is greatly appreciated.
  
  
  
• * NEW * - Will you provide us with regular status updates so we know we are still in queue awaiting assistance?
  
  
  While we will be unable to provide specific status updates regarding the progress of your account restoration, we are now sending out estimated time frames via email to all players currently awaiting assistance. Players should expect to receive these "ETA" emails every few days while one is waiting for a response. Please keep in mind that these estimates are not at all guaranteed, and the wait time may increase due to the nature of each individual investigation. Please utilize these time frames as a reference point to ensure we are still working toward resolving your claim.
  
  If you have not received correspondence from us regarding your compromised account in one week's time, feel free to contact Account Administration or the Game Master department. While we will be unable to provide you with a status update, we can verify that the investigation is still pending.
  
  For more information on compromised accounts, please review our Unauthorized Account Access Policy found here: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01889p
  
  
  You may also visit our Account Administration page: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowaa/?id=maa000p
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

2. Paid Character Transfer Service

• What is the Paid Character Transfer Service?
  
  
  This service (which can be found on the Account Management page) provides players with the ability to transfer their characters to another realm or another account (where they are the registered owner of the account). It's even possible to transfer a player to a different realm and a different account as part of a single transfer. The cost of each paid character transfer is $25.00 USD per character, and at this time we only except payment by credit card for these transactions.
  
  
  
• Why can't I transfer my character to a specific realm?
  
  
  There are many factors that may prevent you from being able to move your character to a certain realm. The realm may be full or heavily populated, or it may have been less than 180 days since the realm was launched; you may be attempting to transfer from a PvE (Normal) or Role-Playing realm to a PvP realm; or there might be an upcoming free character migration to or from this realm.
  
  An updated list of currently eligible realms can be found here:
  
  https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/account/character-transfer-realms.html
  
  
  
• I want to move a character from my account to my (parent/sibling/friend)'s account (or vice versa). Is this possible?
  
  
  The account-to-account transfers are intended to allow a player to move characters from one account to another, so long as the player is the registered owner of both accounts. This service is not intended to allow players to transfer characters from/to accounts that they are not the owner of. Please remember that it is not possible to legally transfer the ownership of an account from one player to another, and that doing so (or allowing someone other than the registered user to log into the account) is a serious violation of our Terms of Use and may result in the suspension or termination of the account.
  
  
  
• Why does the page refresh when I attempt to finalize my character transfer?
  
  
  This "finalization loop" that some players are experiencing when attempting to pay for their transfer is due to the use of a credit card that is unable to process (for whatever reason). Our Billing and Account Services Department is working to make this more apparent to the player so that they do not continually attempt to finalize their transfer using the same credit card information. If you are experiencing this issue, we would recommend that you try using a different credit card to finalize your transfer.
  
  
  
• How long will it take for my character transfer to be completed?
  
  
  Depending on the amount of transfers currently being processed, it may take anywhere from a couple minutes to a few days for your transfer to completed. You will be notified via e-mail as soon as your character has been successfully moved to the new realm, and at that point it will be necessary to visit the Transactions page and finalize your transfer. The Transactions page can be viewed at any time to determine the status of your current transfers.
  
  It can be found here:
  
  http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/account/character-transfer-status.html
  
  For more information about the Paid Character Transfer Service, please refer to the following FAQ: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/faq/paidcharactertransfer.html
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

3. Virtual Property (Character & Item) Restorations / Escalations

• I would like to request that a character/item be restored. How do I do this?
  
  
  The first thing you will need to do is contact a member of the Game Master Department via the in-game petition system. This can be done by selecting the red question mark (?) located in the bottom control panel, next to your bags.
  
  
  
• What information do the GMs need in my petition?
  
  
  The main rule of thumb here is to include as much information as is possible. If it is an item that was lost, include the name of the item, when it was lost, and how it was lost. If it was a character which was mistakenly deleted, include the name, class, level, race and realm of the character. The same basic idea goes with any restoration request: Include every ounce of information available to you.
  
  
  
• I was told my petition was escalated to a specialist. What does that mean?
  
  
  At times, certain restoration requests require that your in-game ticket be escalated to a member of our Character Specialist Staff. Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of these issues, not to mention the very thorough verification and restoration process, this may take some time to be resolved. Each escalated issue is addressed in the order received; depending on the amount of restoration requests which demand our attention, this may take well over a week to be addressed.
  
  
  
• Can I close my ticket once it's escalated?
  
  
  Once a petition has been escalated, it is imperative that the original ticket is not closed, edited or otherwise changed. Furthermore, do not create another ticket on the same character that submitted the restoration request; this shall overwrite the original petition and remove it from the specialist queue.
  
  
  
• What if I need to submit a new petition to the Game Master staff while my escalated petition remains?
  
  
  If at any time you feel that your ticket has been overlooked, or have more information to provide concerning your original restoration request, feel free to create another petition; just make sure that when you do so, you do so from an alternate character. This will ensure that the original restoration request remains intact, and you do not have to begin the restoration process anew.
  
  
  
• What is a Character Specialist anyway?
  
  
  These are Game Masters who are experts in the field of verifying and restoring losses. It is only through their diligence and verification that we are able to potentially restore a particular loss.
  
  
  
• I was asked to confirm the usage of a limited restoration on my account; what are the limitations of the restoration procedure?
  
  
  A player and his or her account are permitted a limited number of instances in which the Game Master Department may assist with property recovery. We do not wish to encourage career victims, nor will we penalize players who legitimately make the occasional slip-up. Please remember, however, that reimbursement of any kind is not guaranteed. While we will make every effort to verify and restore your loss, the decision to reimburse your loss is entirely at Blizzard's discretion. If a player is repeatedly making poor decisions that result in lost property, we reserve the right to refuse further reimbursements. While we can restore items with random modifiers (of the Bear, of the Eagle, etc.), we cannot guarantee that you will receive the same modifier you had on your original item. We are also unfortunately unable to guarantee that any enchantments or other additions to an item shall be restored along with it.
  
  
  
• Have you an Item Restoration Policy?
  
  
  We sure do! Feel free to peruse our Character & Item Restoration Policy, located here: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01724p
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

4. Naming Concerns

• I have decided that I do not like the name selected for my character. How can I go about getting it changed?
  
  
  Unfortunately, the Game Master department is unable to provide name changes at a player's request. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. While a service providing name changes at the request of players may become available in the future, no definitive information has yet been released. At this time, it is best to post any interest in such a service on our WoW Suggestions forum at: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=11122&sid=1
  
  
  
• I understand you cannot change character names per our requests, but what if I feel my name is in violation of your Naming policy?
  
  
  Any concern regarding a possible violation of our policies should be reported to the Game Master department via an in-game petition (red question mark) as soon as possible. If your character name is in violation of our policy, it is much better that you report it yourself, rather than wait for another player to report the name. In many cases, we will provide greater leniency to a player reporting his or her own character name(s). Please note, that the choice to change a character name based on our Naming policy is at the sole disrection of Blizzard Entertainment. If a Game Master determines that your name is not in violation of current policy, it will not be changed under any further circumstances. The full Naming policy can be found here: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01722p
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

5. Realm Performance/Stability & Technical Issues

• I've been getting frequently disconnected from places like Blackwing Lair and Alterac Valley. This is terribly affecting my ability to successfully obtain Epic L00tz! What's going on?
  
  
  We do have realm technicians in constant monitoring of all of our realms, who are addressing any stability concerns as quickly as possible. If you feel you are experiencing an isolated issue beyond any realm performance circumstances, please visit our Technical Support page. Here, you will find common solutions to specific disconnections, client-side performance issues, etc. If you are unable to locate the information for which you are searching, you may contact them from the same page as well: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wow/
  
  
  
• The Technical Support department is closed and I don't feel like waiting for an email. Since Blizzard posters seem to frequently respond on the Customer Service forum, can I just ask my question here?
  
  
  It is in your best interest, and ours, that you contact our Technical Support department. They have been trained to adequately assist with any technical issues you maybe experiencing currently. The Game Master department does not have the proper training to attempt to assist with such issues, and therefore will likely continue to redirect you to Technical Support. If you'd prefer not to contact Technical Support directly, you can pose your concerns on our WoW Technical Support forum here: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=11110
  
  
  
• I know I'm not experiencing a client-side issue, as all of my friends are reporting the same latency/disconnect/lag issues. What are you doing to resolve this?
  
  
  We do sincerely apologize for the situations our players have been experiencing as of late, with regards to realm performance, and are in the process of implementing comprehensive solutions. Further details on our addressing of realm performance in the coming weeks have been laid out in the following sticky: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=10811085&sid=1
  
  
  
• My realm just crashed! Are you aware that my realm is down and no one can login?
  
  
  Our realm technicians are monitoring these situations and will have them corrected as quickly as possible. While we can sympathize greatly with the frustration you are feeling, there is no need to report such realm issues to us, as these situations will be verified and addressed as rapidly as is feasible. We will provide further information regarding any current realm issues when avaialable. For further details, try checking our Realm Status forum: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=11113
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

6. Class & General Functionality Concerns

• Does Blizzard care at all about Paladins?
  
  
  Our development staff takes great pride in working to balance each class, while providing them with multiple facets of specializations to allow for a feeling of customization for each player. This is a constant work in-progress, as new content is implemented on a regular basis. The best place to report constructive interest in altering game functionality from the way in which it was designed is on our WoW Suggestions forum: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=11122
  
  
  
• I've posted on your Suggestions forum, but I'm being ignored. Why doesn't anyone read our suggestions?
  
  
  Our development staff does regularly monitor the Suggestions forum for player feedback and suggestions. Although your ideas are considered, we are unable to guarantee any direct addressing or implementing of your specific suggestions. The Suggestions forum is used by our development staff to gauge player feedback on various functionality concerns on a regular basis; however, there are many players who have different ideas for the general direction of the game. Ultimately, game functionality is determined by the developers who have designed the World of Warcraft.
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

7. AFK Behavior in Battlegrounds

• I love getting something for nothing. Will I get in trouble for sitting inactive in a Battleground by automating my character just enough to keep me from being removed from the match?
  
  
  Yes. We would like to take the time to remind players that automated play or “botting” to prevent your character being removed from a Battleground due to inactivity is a violation of the World of Warcraft’s Terms of Use (TOU). While we understand that there are times you may need to leave your computer during a battle, you should not do so for an extended duration or make use of any system to prevent your character from being automatically logged off.
  
  
  
• Why is this something Blizzard wishes to stop?
  
  
  This away from keyboard (AFK) behavior reduces the enjoyment of all other players who are actively participating in that battleground. Furthermore, earning honor without participation goes against the spirit of the battlegrounds. Engaging in such activities may result in action taken against your registered World of Warcraft account. We consider this behavior to be a serious concern, and while we regret the necessity to take disciplinary action, our utmost commitment is to preserve the fun and integrity of the World of Warcraft.
  
  
  
• Having learned this, I wish to report other players for engaging in this type of activity. What is the best way to do so?
  
  
  If you notice players who are inactive in your Battleground match and unresponsive to any team members in the match, please report them to us via the in-game petition system under the Behavior/Harassment category. In your petition, be sure to note that the player is "AFK" in a Battlegrounds match. Do not forget to include the player's exact character name and realm.
  
  A Game Master will respond to the petition and conduct an investigation as soon as possible. If the player is found to be "AFK" in a Battlegrounds match, the player will receive account penalties and be temporarily removed from the game. Further disciplinary action of this nature can lead to permanent closure of the World of Warcraft account.
  
  
  
• Knowing is half the battle, Batta! Where can I read more about Blizzard's policies?
  
  
  Our in-game support policies can be viewed on the World of Warcraft website at the following link:
  
  http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01712p
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

8. General Information - In-Game Support

• I wish to file a complaint regarding your company's services. Since this is the Customer Service forum, why is it not the best place to voice my concerns?
  
  
  While we do refer to ourselves as Customer Service representatives, we are primarily responsible for providing customer service pertaining to in-game issues. This forum is moderated exclusively by Game Masters who have been trained to assist with in-game issues, and are ready and willing to address your individual concerns. If you are unsure whether or not your concerns are related to this department and are unable to find your answers in this FAQ, by all means we would ask that you pose your questions to us and we will assist you as best as possible. In the case that we are not best-suited to assist you, we will direct you to a more appropriate department/forum.
  
  
  
• I wish to leave feedback about a Game Master who recently assisted me. To whom can I send this information?
  
  
  We do highly value your feedback. Please feel free to provide us with any comments or concerns regarding the quality of services provided by our in-game, or Customer Service forum support staff to WoWgmFeedback-us@blizzard.com.
  
  
  
• I have a question pertaining specifically to an in-game issue not listed on this FAQ. Is there anywhere else I can go to find information about issues with which the Game Master department can assist, before posting here?
  
  
  You can view our full Game Master department support page here: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/
  
  
  
• You guys are always so fun to speak with in-game! How can I become a Game Master?
  
  
  We are always looking for talented individuals who are passionate about the World of Warcraft to join the ranks of the Game Master department! You can find information for your employment inquiries in our Job News section here: http://www.blizzard.com/jobopp/
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

9. General Information – Forum Avatars

• Why doesn’t my avatar on the forums have the correct information? I’m not in that guild anymore, and my level is wrong!
  
  
  We are currently aware of an issue that prevents some players’ forum avatars from updating properly; this can affect the name or realm of your character if they have been changed recently, as well as its level and guild name. (Note: Due to this issue, it is also possible that recently created or deleted characters shan't update dynamically in our forum database, thereby allowing players to post on deleted characters, or preventing them from posting on newly created ones.) While the appropriate departments are working toward a resolution to ensure that the forum database is updated more regularly and consistently, there is a potential workaround to try in the meantime; however, there is unfortunately no guarantee that the process shall have any noticeable effect.
  
  If you click the “Select Character” link in the upper-right of the page and select a different character from the one experiencing the issue, post something on that, then reselect your main character, it may force the database to refresh its information for the affected character. There may also be multiple copies of your characters on the “Select Character” page, in which case you should be able to simply select the one with the most up-to-date information. We appreciate your continued patience, folks.
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

10. General Information – Tickets Regarding Raid Issues

• We couldn't loot Chromaggus because the realm crashed, and now the items are gone! Should all 40 of us submit a petition?!
  
  
  Whenever encountering a raid issue, either in an instance or “outdoor”, please have only one raid member open a ticket to a Game Master. Please designate the raid leader or guild master to open a petition in-game on behalf of the whole group on the issue your raid has encountered. If the raid leader or guild master is unavailable please choose any other suitable raid member to represent the group. The designated petitioner should open an in-game ticket on the issue as soon as is possible.
  
  The reason we request that only one player petition a Game Master, is in an effort to expedite your raid’s issue as fast as possible for the entire raid. Multiple petitioners often lead to delays due to possible conflicts with information, which in turn may put the raid issue on hold while this is sorted out. Furthermore by dealing with a single petition we can ensure that the designated petitioner has full and accurate information to relay to the rest of the raid group, reducing the chance of possible confusion caused by multiple petitioners informing the raid group with their own interpretation of what was said or what is going to be done.
  
  Thank you for your assistance in this matter, which in turn will help us resolve raid issues more rapidly.
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1

11. General Information – TCG Loot Card Redemption

• I got a Loot Card from the WoW: TCG! Is there anything I should know before redeeming it with Landro Longshot?
  
  
  With the release of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, some exciting new opportunities to acquire in-game items have become available with the rare Loot cards scattered randomly throughout decks -- find the right card, and you can adopt your very own Hippogryph Hatchling, mount a Riding Turtle, don a unique tabard, and more! There is, however, one thing you should note:
  
  Please be certain that you have at least one inventory space available when redeeming promotional items.
  
  If your bags are full, the item shall be lost, but the code will still be used and considered invalid if you try again.
  
  We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused, and are working to resolve the issue in a future content patch. :)
  
  
  Back to Table of Contents: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=60759398&sid=1