WhatsApp error 368: Temporarily blocked for policies violations

Code 368 is an account-level enforcement action, not a per-message problem. Meta has restricted or disabled the WhatsApp Business Account your app is using because it found a violation of the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy or Commerce Policy. Every send from every phone number on that WABA will fail with 368 until the restriction is lifted; changing tokens, templates, or recipients does nothing.

The restriction can be temporary with an end date, or it can be an outright disable pending appeal. Details appear in Business Manager under Account Quality, and Meta usually emails the admins. Common triggers include repeated low-quality template sends, selling prohibited goods, messaging people without opt-in, and content that recipients report at a high rate.

This is different from 131048 (quality-based rate limit) and 131031 (account locked, which also covers failed data verification). 368 is a policy judgment about the account as a whole.

Monitor template quality ratings and phone number status in WhatsApp Manager weekly, and pause any template that drops to Medium before it drops to Low. Keep auditable opt-in records, segment marketing by engagement, and run new templates through the policy checklist before submission. Separate high-risk experimental sends onto a dedicated WABA so a mistake cannot restrict your core number. Watch the indicators under quality rating and status, and treat 131048 as the number-level warning shot that precedes account enforcement.