- This article is about Cash on Delivery, for the Warlock curse, see Curse of Doom
C.O.D can be a great way to mail an attached item to another player that is not able to pay for the item right away, or that might be at a great distance. However the system can also be used by some scam artists if close attention is not paid.
The C.O.D system allows the sender to specify an amount of money needed for the recipient to place the attached item into their inventory.
To send a C.O.D item, simply goto a mail box, and select the Send Mail tab. Next, drag the item to be sent from your inventory into the message. Lastly, and most importantly, don't forget to select the C.O.D option and to set a price BEFORE sending the message.
Keep in mind that all items sent via mail will take one (1) hour to arrive at the recipient. This does not count for mail to characters on your own account, as they will arrive instantly.
C.O.D. Scams[]
Among the features of World of Warcraft are the ability to sell items through the in game mail system using a Cash on Delivery (C.O.D) payment system, and the ability to wrap gifts. Unfortunately, there are those dishonest sorts out there who have figured out that these features, when used together, can be abused.
Wrapped C.O.D Scam[]
Note: As of Patch 2.0.7, it is no longer possible to send gift-wrapped packages C.O.D.
Some players will Send in-game mail pretending to be from a NPC with a C.O.D Wrapped item. New players sometimes confuse the C.O.D as a reward and end up paying a high price for the item. If you receive an in-game mail with a wrapped gift and a high C.O.D charge from someone you don't know, be aware that this may be a scam. The body text of these mails may vary, but in all likelihood, the item will be a trash gift, such as a gray drop or a low copper value item (examples include [Skinning Knife] or [Blacksmith Hammer].) If you suspect that you have received a C.O.D. Scam mail, do NOT open it, and immediately petition a Game Master. Blizzard takes this sort of thing very seriously, and will take action.
C.O.D Expiration Scams[]
Some Dishonest players will also leverage the mail systems 3 day return mechanism in order to keep high price items off the Auction House, or to grief other players. The player will ask for you to C.O.D the Item to them and then leave the Item in their mailbox while they sell a like Item on the AH giving them three days before your item is returned to you. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to combat this.