DSP Cartel — Anti-Fraud Policy

Effective as of 10 December 2025

1. Purpose of this Policy

At DSP Cartel, we are committed to preserving the integrity of our platform, protecting rights-holders, and ensuring fair, legitimate distribution and monetization of content. This Anti-Fraud Policy defines what constitutes fraudulent or infringing behaviour, outlines the responsibilities of Clients and End Users, and details the consequences of policy violations.

2. What We Consider Fraudulent or Infringing Activities

Fraud or infringement includes — but is not limited to — the following:

  • Violations of intellectual property or trademark rights.

  • Artificial streaming or other manipulative behavior intended to inflate play counts, revenue, or engagement in an unauthorized manner.

  • Breaches of the terms of any Digital Service Providers (DSPs) we distribute to.

  • Violation of third-party monetization or content policies (e.g. for partner platforms).

  • Misrepresentation of ownership, artist identity, or metadata (for example: false artist names, artwork that doesn’t belong to you, duplicate or altered uploads, etc.).

  • Any unlawful, abusive, or unauthorized use of DSP Cartel services that harms artists, right-holders, DSPs, or the integrity of the platform.

3. Warning System & Escalation Process

To give Clients the opportunity to correct inadvertent or unintentional issues, DSP Cartel will employ a warning-based system before account termination — except in extreme or particularly harmful cases, where we reserve the right to act immediately.

  • First Warning: Issued if a violation recurs within a 60-day period (for example, the same sub-account or user causes another violation).

  • Second Warning: Issued if there is continued non-compliance — e.g. repeated violations, failure to act against infringing sub-accounts/users, or multiple infringing end users under the same Client account over a 60-day period.

After a second warning, we may work with the Client to define a corrective plan (e.g. quotas, audits). However, DSP Cartel reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to revoke access to DSP distribution and/or terminate the Client’s account — even if only a small number of fraud cases exist.

4. Consequences of Fraud or Infringement

If Client or End User activity is determined to breach this Policy or our Terms of Service, DSP Cartel may take any of the following actions:

  • Remove or take down the infringing content.

  • Suspend or disable distribution to certain DSPs or for specific works.

  • Hold or withhold royalties — placing them in escrow pending investigation or potential claims.

  • Terminate end user accounts responsible for the violation.

  • Terminate the Client’s account entirely.

  • Deduct any costs incurred by DSP Cartel (including legal fees) related to handling the fraud or infringement from future payments due to the Client.

  • If needed, pursue further legal action should damages exceed withheld amounts.

5. Account Blocking and Unblocking Procedure

If suspicious or unauthorized activity is detected, we will temporarily block the relevant account and notify the Client via email (or other predetermined contact method). The Client will be required to provide additional information or documentation — such as valid identification, artist profile information, social media or website links, and historical data to support claimed sales or streams — within 5 working days.

If the information is provided and successfully verified, the account may be unblocked. If the required information is not provided or cannot be verified in a timely manner, DSP Cartel may permanently block the account — withhold any revenues associated with suspect content, and remove access to our services.

Any royalties generated during the block may be held in escrow for up to 24 months, or until a claim or dispute is resolved. This allows DSP Cartel to respond to potential claims from DSPs or actual rights-holders who may contest the legitimacy of the revenues.

6. Client & End User Responsibilities

By using DSP Cartel’s services, Clients and their End Users agree to:

  • Ensure that any content submitted is lawful, genuine, and does not infringe on third-party rights.

  • Maintain accurate and truthful metadata, artist information, artwork, and ownership documentation.

  • Act promptly and in good faith in response to any warnings or requests for verification.

  • Cooperate fully in any investigation related to suspected fraudulent or infringing activity.

7. Enforcement & Final Authority

DSP Cartel reserves the exclusive right to interpret and enforce this Anti-Fraud Policy. Decisions regarding warnings, account blocking, revenue escrow, and account termination are at our sole discretion.

We may revise or update this Policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting on our site or notifying Clients through our standard communication channels.