The Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS), an independent body which defines best practice and standards for online ad trading in the UK and Ireland, is stepping up its fight against online ad fraud.

Now, companies that provide anti-fraud products can sign-up with JICWEBS for an independent audit by ABC to see how well their products reduce the risk of fraudulent ads being served. Any companies that successfully show that their products deal with the 16 different sources of ad fraud listed by JICWEBS, in its taxonomy of online fraud, will receive certification.

It took a while for the certification scheme to fall into place due to concerns expressed by companies around sharing of confidential and competitive information about their products. But it all worked out in the end.

“Advertisers’ need to have greater trust in digital media is well served by this important initiative from JICWEBS and it’s one that we fully support,” said Keith Moor, CMO at Santander. “As a member of JICWEBS’ UK Cross-Industry Anti-Fraud Commercial Working Group, Santander has been working with other advertisers and our digital media partners to reduce the risk of exposure to ad fraud. We look forward to investing our digital marketing spend with trusted, certified companies.”

JICWEBS’ latest certification scheme, for anti-fraud products, adds to the one already in place for companies within the ad supply chain itself.