You click "Find Match," and the search bar sits there. 200ms ping. Then 350ms. Your heart drops because you know exactly what that means, even if you don't want to admit it. You’re in the "shadow" realm.
Checking your call of duty ban status has become a grim ritual for thousands of players in 2026. Whether you're a sweat who finally got reported one too many times or someone who just updated their Windows drivers and triggered a false positive, the feeling is the same. It’s a mix of rage and genuine confusion.
Activision’s security has changed. A lot. We aren’t just talking about a simple "You’re Banned" pop-up anymore. Between the new Remote Attestation requirements and the way Team RICOCHET handles Black Ops 7 and Warzone integration, the rules of the game have shifted. Honestly, half the "fixes" you see on Reddit are complete garbage that will actually get you flagged faster.
The Three Flavors of Getting Booted
Most players think a ban is just a ban. It isn’t. Activision uses a specific hierarchy of punishment, and knowing where you land determines if you should fight it or just walk away.
The Limited Matchmaking (Shadowban)
This is the most common headache. You aren’t technically banned, but you’re stuck in high-ping lobbies with 49 other people who are either actually cheating or also under review. As of late 2025, Activision finally added in-game notifications for this. If you see a "Limited Matchmaking" tag, you’re in the bucket. Usually, this lasts 5 to 7 days while they "examine" your gameplay data.
The Temporary Suspension
These are the "slap on the wrist" penalties. Maybe you got too heated in the proximity chat, or you were caught exploiting a minor map glitch. These usually run anywhere from 48 hours to two full weeks. You can’t appeal these. You literally just have to sit in the corner and think about what you did.
The Permanent Ban
This is the end of the line. It's the big red text. Your skins? Gone. Your Battle Pass progress? Dust. A permanent ban is usually tied to "manipulation of game data" or "unauthorized software." Since the rollout of Black Ops 7, these are often hardware-linked.
How to Actually Check Your Call of Duty Ban Status
Don’t trust third-party "checker" sites that ask for your login. Those are just phishing scams waiting to happen. There is only one source of truth, and it’s the official Activision Support portal.
- Head over to the Activision Support Ban Appeal page.
- Log in with your primary account (Steam, Battle.net, Xbox, or PSN).
- Click "Agree and Continue" to see your status.
If it says "NO BAN DETECTED," but you still can't find a game, check your network. Or, you might be in that weird limbo where a shadowban is pending but hasn't updated on the site yet. If it says "UNDER REVIEW," you are officially shadowbanned.
If it says "PERMANENTLY BANNED," then you have a decision to make.
Why RICOCHET Is Flagging You (Even If You're Clean)
It’s frustrating. You’ve never touched an aimbot in your life, yet here you are. Why?
The 2026 security landscape is aggressive. Activision recently mandated TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot for all PC players. If your BIOS settings are wonky or if you’re using certain "optimizer" tools that tweak Windows kernel settings, RICOCHET might flag that as an attempt to bypass security. It’s not that the game thinks you’re cheating; it’s that the game doesn't trust your PC environment.
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Then there’s the "Shadowban Loop." This is a nightmare scenario where a good player gets mass-reported by a salty squad. The system kicks them into Limited Matchmaking. They get cleared after 7 days, play three games, get reported again, and right back they go. It’s a flaw in the trust-factor algorithm that Activision is still trying to tune with machine learning.
The Appeal: What Works and What Is a Waste of Time
Let’s be real: most appeals are rejected. If you were actually using a "Premium" cheat you bought for $20, don't even bother. They have the logs.
However, if you were hacked—and this happens a ton—you actually have a shot. Look for "Unauthorized Account Access" in your email. If you can show that someone from a different country logged into your account right before the ban happened, Activision’s support team is much more likely to revert it.
When you write the appeal, keep it clinical.
- Don't use ALL CAPS or swear.
- Do list the exact date you lost access.
- Do mention any recent hardware changes (new CPU, motherboard, etc.).
- Don't beg.
Actionable Steps to Protect Your Account
If your call of duty ban status is currently clear, you want to keep it that way. The system is twitchy.
First, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) immediately. Most permanent bans for "legit" players happen because their account was stolen and used as a "burner" by a real cheater. 2FA stops that.
Second, stop using VPNs to find "bot lobbies." While not an instant ban, it’s a high-risk behavior that flags your account for manual review. In the eyes of the anti-cheat, changing your IP to a different continent every hour looks exactly like account sharing or boosting.
Lastly, if you’re on PC, use the Secure Attestation Wizard. This tool was introduced during Season 01 of the Black Ops 7/Warzone integration to help you verify that your system meets the security requirements. It's better to find out your PC is "untrusted" through a wizard than through a permanent ban notification.
If you are currently under review, the only real fix is patience. Playing on a "smurf" or a second account on the same PC while your main is shadowbanned will often result in the second account getting flagged instantly. You're just digging a deeper hole. Wait the 7 days. If you’re clean, the status usually clears itself, and you can get back to the grind.
Next Steps for You:
Check your BIOS settings to ensure TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are enabled. If you are on a "Limited Matchmaking" break, this is the best time to verify your system integrity so you don't get flagged again the moment you return.