About UK Financial services verification
About UK Financial services verification
Learn about what Microsoft Advertising requires from advertisers who show financial services ads in the UK.Microsoft Advertising requires advertisers who show financial services ads in the UK to complete their UK Financial services verification. This requirement involves all financial services and includes all ad formats and extensions. As part of the verification process, advertisers must either demonstrate their registration with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (UK FCA) or qualify for an exemption. Until verification is complete, any financial services ads targeting UK customers won't be served.
Before you start the verification process, review the following business types:
- Authorized financial services advertisers registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority: Advertisers that the UK FCA authorizes to provide financial services or undertake related activities. If you're applying for verification as an authorized financial services advertiser, your details should match those within the UK FCA register. Any discrepancies may lead to a verification failure.
- Exempt government entities: UK government institutions, regulators, or authorities operating under the gov.uk domain or entities approved by any of the above for the purpose of this policy.
- Exempt non-financial services advertiser: Advertisers that don't promote financial services but have reason to target people seeking financial services. Examples include aggregators, eCommerce platforms, and search engines.
Please note that your ads that serve outside of the UK—whether financial or not—won't be impacted by your UK Financial services verification. This is only for financial services ads within the UK.
You need the following information to begin the UK Financial services verification:
- Business details (name, address, and email address)
- The 6-or 7-digit UK FCA registration number (FRN), if applicable
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Domain details used to showcase financial services-related advertising:
- Domains registered with the UK FCA
- Domains and websites used for advertising on Microsoft Advertising that aren't in the UK FCA registry
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From the top menu, select Tools > Preferences > Verifications.
If you're using the new Microsoft Advertising navigation, from the navigation menu on the left, hover over Settings and select Account verifications.
Note: If you have multiple accounts, choose one from the account dropdown menu on the top left. - In the Verifications page, navigate to the UK Financial services verification row. In the Verifications page, navigate to the UK Financial services verification row under the Other verifications section.
- Hover over the Verification status.
- Select Become a verified advertiser.
- Choose the appropriate business type from the choices provided.
- In the Business details section, enter the Legal business name and Business address information.
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Enter all other required information based on the selected business type.
Note:
- For UK FCA approved financial services advertisers: Business email address, FCA provided FRN, and the list of domains you'll use to advertise.
- For non-financial services advertisers: Business email address, a justification for why you target customers looking for financial services, and the list of domains you'll use to advertise.
- For government entities: Valid email address that ends with gov.uk, which should be validated with the verification code provided in the email from us; a justification for why you target customers looking for financial services; and the list of domains you'll use to advertise.
- Select the checkbox confirming that you will comply with the policies and terms at the bottom of the Business details section.
- Proceed to the Summary to check the information and make any necessary changes.
- Submit the details for verification. You can expect a response from us within 3-5 business days.
Please note that UK Financial services verification is different from the Advertiser identity verification process, which is also required. Learn more about Advertiser identity verification.
After completing verification, you'll see on the Verifications page that your account falls under one of the following statuses:
- Partially verified: Some of your domains are approved, while others failed verification or are pending verification. You may serve financial services-related ads to people in the UK using the list of approved domains; however, ads using rejected or pending domains will not be served.
- Verified advertiser: All of your business details and domains are approved. You may now run financial services-related ads to customers in the UK using approved domains.
- Verification failed: None of your domains have passed the verification requirements. You won't be able to serve any financial services-related ads to people in the UK on any of your domains. You can update the details and re-apply for verification at any time.
- Verification pending: All of your details are currently undergoing verification. You can't serve any financial services-related ads to people in the UK on any of your domains until they are verified.
To see the list of approved, pending, and rejected domains, hover over the Domains link in the Verifications page and select Manage verification details.
Notes
- Verification is conditional on you providing valid details and documentation. Providing faulty or false information may lead to account suspension and revoked verification status.
- Verification can take 3-5 business days.
- Once approved, you can add or delete domains on the Verifications page. However, each update needs to undergo its own verification process.
- We may revoke your verification or take action on your account based on ongoing settlements, adverse regularity warnings, rulings about your business practices, and/or direct complaints from businesses.
- Microsoft Advertising may update the verification requirements at any time.
- To learn more about UK Financial services verification or appeal a decision, please contact your account manager or Support.