ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Credit repair services
Google prohibits ads for credit repair services, whether the advertiser offers them directly, generates leads for them, or connects consumers with third-party providers. The policy is strike-based: one warning, then up to three strikes, and the third strike suspends the account. The page names no certification, so edit the ad to comply or remove it.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved.
- What stops
- The ad stops serving. Some violations count toward a strike.
- How serious
- Serious over time. An account can receive one warning and up to three strikes, and the third strike suspends it.
What it means
Google lists ads for credit repair services as leading to disapproval, to protect users from harmful practices. The page says Google wants consumers to make informed decisions about services offered to help them address bad credit.
The policy names three roles: advertisers that offer the service directly, lead generators, and businesses that connect consumers with third-party credit repair providers.
What actually triggers it
An ad for credit repair services
The policy names ads for credit repair services as the violation. The page gives no location limit, so the rule reads as applying wherever the ad runs.
A lead form that hands people to a credit repair company
The policy covers businesses that connect consumers with third-party providers. A form that passes people to a credit repair company is in scope, even when the advertiser does not provide the service itself.
Repeat violations
Violations use a strike system. An account can receive at most one warning and three strikes for certain violations, and the third strike results in suspension.
Fix it in this order
- In Google Ads, go to Ads under the Campaigns menu, and find the disapproved ad.
- Hover over the ad or asset, select Edit, make it comply and select Save. Re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
- Check the Status column on the Ads & assets page for the result.
- If you cannot or do not want to fix the violation, remove the ad to help prevent future suspensions for repeated violations.
When to appeal
Appeal from the account if you believe the decision is an error, and state which part of the ad or landing page is not a credit repair service.
The page does not describe a certification route for this policy, so a certificate is not the way out.
Often confused with
Debt settlement and management need certification and an application in each approved location. Credit repair is about addressing bad credit rather than negotiating the debts, and the page gives no route to certification.
Covers mortgage and foreclosure help, with its own practice list. One page can break both rules at once.