What a letter of authorization is, and why takedowns wait for it

A letter of authorization, or LOA, is a short signed document that lets a third party file takedown requests on your company's behalf. Platforms, hosts and registrars ask for it so they know the person reporting has the right to speak for the brand. Without one, most reports from a vendor stall.

It's the least exciting document in brand protection, and it quietly decides when the work can start. Here's what it is and how to keep it from becoming the bottleneck. For how it fits into overall timing, see our takedown timelines by platform and host.

What goes in one

• Your company's legal name and address.

• The brands, names and marks it covers, with trademark registration numbers if you have them.

• The party you're authorizing, such as your brand protection provider.

• The scope: which kinds of requests, on which platforms, hosts and registrars.

• How long it's valid.

• The signer's name, title and contact details.

This isn't legal advice. Your counsel should review the wording, and many providers have a standard template you can start from.

Why platforms ask for it

Takedown systems get abused. Competitors, angry ex-partners and scammers themselves file reports to knock legitimate accounts and sites offline. An LOA tells the reviewer that the person filing is acting for the brand owner, which is the first thing they need to know before removing anything.

Where it slows things down

The clock on most takedowns starts when the first report is filed, and with a vendor that usually means after the LOA is signed. If it sits in a legal queue for two weeks, so does every fake you've already found.

Honestly, if I could give one piece of advice to a team starting a brand protection program, it would be to sign the LOA in the first week. Nothing else you do will matter as much to how quickly the first fakes come down.

What to send with it

• A list of every official account, handle and domain, so fakes can be told apart from the real thing.

• Trademark registrations and logo files.

• Who at your company confirms gray areas, such as fan communities or former staff accounts.

Together, these cover most of what a platform will ask for. The rest is follow-up, which is where a managed service earns its keep. See how fake support account takedowns work.

Frequently asked questions

Is a letter of authorization the same as a power of attorney?

No. An LOA is narrower: it authorizes someone to submit reports and requests for your brand, not to act for your company generally.

Do we need a separate letter for each platform?

Usually one general letter covers most platforms, hosts and registrars. A few ask for their own format.

Can takedowns start before the LOA is signed?

Detection and blocking can. Most formal reports filed by a third party wait for it.

Ready to see what's live before you sign anything? Run a free scan and get results within 48 hours.

Nikita Varabei is co-founder and CEO of ChainPatrol. He spends most of his week with fraud and trust and safety teams dealing with impersonation of their brands.