Artist Trust and Fraud Declaration in Velveteen
Updated June 11, 2026
Velveteen's distribution agreements require confirming that artist identities are legitimate before any release is delivered. The fraud declaration is a one-time step on the artist profile. Once completed and reviewed, the artist receives a trust status that stays with the record permanently.
Why the declaration exists
DSP distribution agreements require Velveteen to confirm that the artists it delivers on behalf of are legitimate performing identities. Impersonations, bot-driven streams, and fraudulent entities violate those agreements. Rather than gate-keep during delivery, Velveteen collects a declaration upfront so the review happens before any release reaches a platform.
Fraud history states
unknown
Default on creation. The declaration form has not been completed. Delivery is blocked in this state.
none
You have declared no prior fraud or TOS violation history. The artist moves toward trusted status automatically.
declared
You have declared prior history. A Velveteen reviewer will examine the details before clearing the artist for delivery.
cleared
Declared history was reviewed and the artist was cleared. Delivery can proceed.
confirmed
Fraud or TOS violation has been confirmed by Velveteen. Delivery is permanently blocked for this artist.
Heads up
Trust status
new
Artist was just created. No history yet.
reviewing
The fraud declaration is under active review by Velveteen staff.
trusted
The artist has a clean history and approved delivery record. No ongoing review required.
restricted
Delivery is blocked. Set by staff for confirmed fraud or serious violations.
What you need to do
- 1
Open the artist profile
Navigate to the artist in your catalog and open the Artist Review tab. - 2
Complete the fraud declaration
Read the declaration and select whether you have any prior fraud or TOS violation history. If you select "None", you're done. The artist moves to pending review. - 3
If declaring history, provide details
Explain the prior history in the text field. Be specific. Vague explanations slow the review. Velveteen reviews all declared histories; most are cleared once context is understood. - 4
Wait for review
You will receive a notification when the review is complete. The artist's trust status updates automatically.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a prior TOS violation?+
A prior TOS violation includes any history of distributing content you did not own, impersonating another artist, manipulating streams, or having a prior account terminated by a DSP or distributor for policy violations. If you are unsure, declare it. Velveteen reviews declared histories and clears most of them after verification.
How long does review take after I declare history?+
Reviews of declared fraud history typically complete within three to five business days. You will receive a notification when the review is complete.
What does restricted mean?+
Restricted means delivery is blocked for this artist regardless of approval status. Velveteen staff set this for confirmed fraud cases or serious policy violations. Contact support if you believe this is applied in error.
Do I need to complete this for every artist?+
Yes. The fraud declaration is per artist, not per account. Each artist on your account requires its own declaration before its releases can be delivered.
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