Xbox Live suspensions and console bans

Suspensions and console bans

For information about conduct that can result in a suspension or a console ban, see the Xbox Live Code of Conduct.
If you have a specific question about a suspension or console ban, start a new thread in the "My Live account was suspended” forum on forums.xbox.com.
The Xbox Policy Enforcement Team does not have the ability to resolve game-specific bans and suspensions. If you have lost privileges in a specific game, contact the game’s developer for assistance:
Halo 4 or Halo: Reach

Call of Duty

Complaints are reviewed daily, and action is taken against players when the behaviour is verified.
Penalties for violating the Terms of Use and Code of Conduct vary depending on the nature of the offence.
Penalties for minor infractions include temporary communication or service suspensions and forced gamertag name changes.
Penalties for more serious offences include gamerscore resets, permanent account suspensions and console bans.

Communication suspensions

Communication suspensions are imposed because of inappropriate conduct during communication activities on Xbox Live. The suspension blocks a gamertag from accessing any communication features on Xbox Live. These include text messages, voice messages, video messages, in-game chat and party chat.

The length of suspension depends on the severity of the offence. Temporary suspensions usually end at approximately the same time of day as when the suspension was issued.

How you are notified

A message with the suspension end date appears when you sign in to Xbox Live with the suspended gamertag.

An email message is sent to the address that is associated with your Xbox Live account. Suspensions end at approximately the same time the suspension was issued and not at the beginning of the calendar day, so the suspension may not end until later in the day specified in the suspension message.

Service suspension

Service suspensions are imposed because of inappropriate gameplay or system abuse. Inappropriate conduct includes these kinds of actions:

Inappropriate in-game behaviour (scamming or cheating)

Attempts to manipulate Xbox Live services through network interference, feedback abuse, complaint abuse or other system tampering

A service suspension completely blocks a member from being able to sign in to the Xbox Live service. The duration of the suspension depends on the frequency or severity of the offence. Temporary suspensions usually end at approximately the same time of day as when the suspension was issued.

How you are notified

A message with the suspension end date appears when you sign in to Xbox Live with the suspended gamertag.

An email message is sent to the address that is associated with your Xbox Live account.

Forced gamertag change

When a forced gamertag change (name change) is imposed, you are prompted to select a new gamertag the next time that you try to sign in to Xbox Live. This step cannot be skipped. You must select a new gamertag before you can sign in.

A forced gamertag change is imposed when a gamertag is determined to be inappropriate by the Xbox Live Enforcement Team. Examples of inappropriate gamertags include names that visually resemble, sound like, represent, hint at, abbreviate or insinuate any of the following:

Profane words or phrases
Topics or content of a sexual nature
Hate speech (including but not limited to racial, ethnic or religious slurs)
Unlawful drugs or controlled substances
Unlawful activities

Console bans

Xbox consoles may be permanently prevented from connecting to Xbox Live for one or more violations of the Xbox Live Terms of Use. Consoles can be banned from Xbox Live for several reasons including, but not limited to, the following reasons:

Console tampering: Physically opening the Xbox console and modifying it to play illegitimate software.
Online fraud: Attempting to socially engineer users, take over Xbox Live accounts or perform other fraudulent activities.
Repeat egregious violations: Multiple actions taken on accounts on the console by the enforcement team for disrupting the service or impacting users.

Customer Support for Xbox Live cannot undo an Xbox Live suspension for a console. Xbox Live console suspensions may also include permanent suspensions of Xbox Live accounts as well.

Gamerscore resets

A gamerscore correction occurs on a player’s Xbox Live account when they gain achievements through avoiding gameplay and using external tools. Xbox Live is committed to keeping the service free of this type of behaviour as it violates the Xbox Live Terms of Use. When abnormal achievement or gamerscore activity is found, Xbox Live modifies the gamerscore of players who meet specific and automated criteria.

An Xbox Live player who obtains their gamerscore in this abnormal way will:

Find their gamerscore reset to zero.
Be unable to regain all previously earned achievements.
Be labelled as a “cheater” for the community to view.

Although players who are identified by these criteria will start from a zero gamerscore, they will still be able to gain achievements for future games. In other words, we give them another chance to earn future achievements by earning them as other “fair” players do. The original gamerscore correction remains permanent without any way to appeal.

What are other users saying about these topics?

To see what other users are saying about these topics, or to ask your own questions, go to our Xbox Support Forums and view the following conversations:

Please note that Xbox Support Forums content is available only in English. To translate Xbox Support Forums content into another language, paste the URL into an online translation tool such as Bing Translator.