Why do I get a message saying unusual search activity may limit my ability to earn points

Hi there, Shaun! This is Marc. Thanks for reaching out to the community.

Microsoft Rewards may flag “unusual search activity” if its system detects patterns that resemble automated or bot-like behavior, such as completing a large number of searches extremely quickly. This is to prevent abuse and ensure fair participation for all users, but it can sometimes mistakenly affect fast typists or power users.

To reduce the chance of being flagged, try spreading searches out over time instead of completing them all at once. If you believe this was triggered in error, you can reach out to Microsoft Rewards Support here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/learn-about-microsoft-rewards-c5ab735d-c6d9-4bb9-30ad-d828e954b6a9 for review and assistance in restoring your earning ability.

Let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

I contacted the support team which sent me an email that im sure was generic in nature due to this being a more than common issue. A punitive "cooldown" period is triggered it said with bot like behavior. With no resolution except to submit feedback the ticket was closed. My question why have a program that is designed with features that give instant points without telling a member the fine print of being penalized for the very "bot -like" behavior the features encourage. Microsoft monitizes on our user data but breaks its contract with members by punitively created rules not clearly defined and forcing them on members without any recourse. If support could have helped me they could have and should have. Instead they sent an email shutting me down and closing the case.

I think it's ironic that we are accused of "Unusual search activity" on Microsoft Rewards. This can happen when the system detects patterns that look like automation, such as completing many searches too quickly, and can temporarily limit your ability to earn points.

And yet when you contact support you get a "bot" not a real person to handle your complaint. The response I got back today in an email, did not address the problem. Rather they give this answer:

"Thank you for reaching out regarding your Microsoft Rewards account. We understand your concern about not earning points from searches, and we’re here to help you resolve this.

You can often fix this issue with some basic troubleshooting steps. Please follow the instructions below based on the browser or device you're using:". -This answer has nothing to do with addressing the problem.

Those of us who have been doing Microsoft Rewards for years do not need a bot to finish rewards daily. But Microsoft needs a bot to reply. Hmmm.

No follow-up emails over the concerns we have listed in this thread. I am not sure at this point why Microsoft Rewards just goes away. There is no support. They accuse you falsely of doing "unusual searches".