Account Suspension & Appeals

Why accounts are suspended (IVT, content violations, ads.txt non-compliance, failed KYC), how to appeal by emailing appeals@advlume.com, and what reinstatement looks like.

Account suspensions are used when a publisher's sites or account activity violates Advlume's policies. This article explains why accounts are suspended, how to appeal, and how reinstatement works.

Why accounts are suspended

The most common reasons for suspension:

• Invalid traffic (IVT): Sustained high IVT rates, purchased bot traffic, or incentivised ad clicks. Ad serving is stopped while an investigation is conducted.
• Content policy violations: Sites found to be publishing prohibited content after approval — adult content, illegal content, hate speech, etc.
• ads.txt non-compliance: Persistent failure to maintain a valid ads.txt file that includes Advlume's authorised seller entry.
• Failed KYC: Identity verification declined by Didit — usually due to document issues or sanctions screening. The account is paused pending re-verification.
• Terms of service breach: Any other material violation of the publisher agreement.

What happens when an account is suspended

• Ad serving is paused immediately on all sites under the account.
• A suspension notice is sent to the email address on the account, stating the reason.
• Revenue earned up to the suspension date is held pending the outcome of the review.
• The account dashboard remains accessible so you can read the notice and submit an appeal.

How to appeal

1. Review the suspension notice. The email will specify the policy that was violated and, where possible, which site triggered the suspension.
2. Address the root cause. If the suspension was for IVT, pause the traffic source responsible. If it was for content, remove the prohibited content. If it was for ads.txt, update the file. Do not submit an appeal without first addressing the issue.
3. Email appeals@advlume.com with:
   • Your account email address
   • The site(s) affected
   • What action you took to address the violation
   • Any additional context that is relevant to the decision
4. Wait for review. Appeals are reviewed within 5–10 business days. More complex cases (e.g. IVT investigations requiring traffic audit data) may take longer.

Reinstatement

If the appeal is successful and the violation has been remediated, the account is reinstated and ad serving resumes. Held revenue earned before the suspension will be paid in the next payment cycle, less any deductions for IVT-attributed impressions.

If the appeal is denied, the account remains suspended. In cases of intentional fraud, the account is permanently terminated and held revenue is forfeited.

Preventing suspension

The most effective way to avoid suspension is to proactively monitor your traffic quality and content. Check the Live dashboard regularly for abnormal blocked session spikes, and audit any new paid traffic source before scaling it.

Further reading

• What Happens When IVT is Detected — how IVT leads to account review
• Content Policy — prohibited content categories
• Terms of Service Summary — key obligations