How to Use Monitor Only Mode
Fraud Prevention for WooCommerce can score every order against your rules. In Monitor Only (No Blocking), it still calculates that score and logs the order for review. It does not block checkout, hold, or cancel based on the score, or add the email or IP to the blacklist automatically.
Use this when you want to see how the rules behave before you start blocking customers.
For example, a customer scores 85. In Monitor Only, the order is allowed, and you can review it. In Automatic Protection (Block & Prevent), the same score can block the order.
In The Article
Benefits
Monitor Only helps you:
- Test fraud rules without stopping real checkouts
- Review high-risk orders before you enforce them
- Avoid auto-adding emails and IPs while you tune thresholds
How to Turn On Monitor Only Mode
Step 1: Turn on Fraud Score Check
- Go to Fraud Prevention → General Settings.
- Under Enable Automatic Fraud Check, turn on Fraud Score Check.
- The Protection Mode row appears after this is enabled.
Step 2: Choose Monitor Only
Under Protection Mode, pick one:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
|
Automatic Protection (Block & Prevent)
|
Automatically block high-risk users and stop fraudulent orders.
|
|
Monitor Only (No Blocking)
|
Only monitor and score orders. No blocking or blacklisting will be applied.
|
Select Monitor Only (No Blocking).
Click How does this work? if you want the About Protection Modes comparison. In that popup, Monitor Only will:
- Calculate fraud scores
- Track and log suspicious activity
- Let you view reports
It will not:
- Block customers from the score
- Add emails or IPs to the blacklist automatically
- Stop checkout from the score
Step 3: Save and review a scored order
- Click Save Changes.
- Place a test order or wait for a live one.
- Open WooCommerce → Orders. A scored Monitor Only order shows a Monitored badge.
- Open the order to see the fraud score and decide whether to block that customer by hand from Fraud Prevention - actions.
Before Payment Checking is not used for score-based blocking while Monitor Only is on.
Example Use Cases
A new store turning on scoring
Run Monitor Only for a few days, then switch to Automatic Protection once the High Risk threshold looks right.
Rules you just made stricter
Score orders first so you can see who would have been blocked, without stopping checkout.
A merchant who still wants a manual block
Leave Monitor Only on. If an order looks fraudulent, use Block Order on that order. That is a manual blacklist add, not automatic.
Conclusion
Turn on Fraud Score Check, set Protection Mode to Monitor Only (No Blocking), and save. Orders still get a score you can review. Checkout is not stopped from that score, and emails or IPs are not added to the blacklist automatically.
FAQs
1. Where do I find Protection Mode?
Fraud Prevention → General Settings, under Enable Automatic Fraud Check. The row shows after Fraud Score Check is on.
2. Does Monitor Only ignore my existing blacklist?
No. Emails and IPs already on Blacklist Settings can still block checkout if those list toggles are on. Monitor Only skips score-based hold, cancel, pre-payment block, and automatic blacklist adds.
3. Can I switch back to blocking later?
Yes. Choose Automatic Protection (Block & Prevent) and click Save Changes. New high-risk orders then follow your block and auto-blacklist settings.
4. Why is an order marked Monitored?
That order was scored while Protection Mode was Monitor Only. The Monitored badge is stored on the order.