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The tenant screening process determines whether a rental applicant is qualified to rent a property. A prospective tenant must present proof of income, such as pay stubs, to show his gross earnings, deductions, and net pay. If the landlord sees a potential tenant has the means to afford the monthly rent, the former will approve the latter’s rental application.
However, it is not uncommon that some rental applicants present fake pay stubs to prove they can afford to pay rent. Thus, landlords should learn how to spot counterfeit pay stubs to avoid getting scammed during the tenant screening process.
Here are some tips to determine whether a pay stub is fake or genuine.
How to Spot Whether a Pay Stub is Fake or Real
With the technology nowadays, scammers can produce pay stubs that look authentic. But no matter how creative and inventive they are at faking pay stubs, there are indicators that show these pay stubs are counterfeit. Take note of these signs to spot a fake pay stub.
Inconsistent Information
It is common to find inconsistencies in fake pay stubs. You can identify inconsistencies by matching the personal information in the pay stub to the other official documents the rental applicant provides.
Check the social security number, address, or name of the prospective tenant in these documents and see if they are consistent. If not, they are most probably fake.
Lack of Professionalism
Most companies ensure that their documents look professional. If the pay stubs provided by a rental applicant contain unusual fonts or spelling errors, they are probably not from a real company.
Check the decimal points and characters if they are in order or properly arranged. Text or numbers that are not evenly lined up are tell-tale signs of a falsified pay stub. Also, see and feel if the paper used for the pay stub is a good one.
Miscalculations
Do your own calculations regarding the numbers on the pay stub to see if they are correct. It is not hard to compute figures like earnings and deductions. It is a warning sign that a pay stub is fake if the numbers on it do not match.
Numbers Replaced by Letters
Another indicator that a fake stub is not authentic is when the numbers are replaced by letters. It can be a minor error, but you will see in fake pay stubs that the capital letter “O” is used instead of the number “0.” Companies that produce genuine pay stubs do not make such errors.
Round Numbers
It is rare for employees to earn perfectly rounded monthly earnings. Even if the fixed salary of a person is in round numbers, the deductions from his net pay may probably result in an exact figure. For instance, it is more realistic to take home a paycheck containing $513.40 than $500.
Other Ways to Verify the Income of Rental Applicants
Aside from pay stubs, there are other ways to verify the income of prospective tenants. Here is a list of income verification methods you can add to your tenant screening process.
- Contact the Current Employer. One way to deter a rental applicant from committing pay stub fraud is requesting him to provide the company name where he works and its contact number. Employers are not obligated to disclose the exact income of their employees, but talking to the employer can help you verify your prospective tenant’s position in the company. It is enough to guess if he is earning a sufficient monthly income to afford the rent.
- Ask for a W-2 Form. It can be more difficult to create a fake W-2 form than a pay stub. So, it can be useful if you request it from your rental applicants during the screening process. A W-2 form shows the income of a rental applicant.
- Request Form 4506. This form shows a person’s wage and income, tax account, and tax return. You can request this from your rental applicant to ensure he has the financial means to pay the rent. If a potential tenant is self-employed or working as a freelancer, form 4506 is a suitable document to use as an income verification method.
- Do a Credit Check. Another way to verify a potential tenant’s ability to make rent payments is by running a credit check. You can do a credit check using property management software, which has a feature allowing you to ask for a credit report.
Final Thoughts
Pay stubs provided by rental applicants can be faked. As a landlord, you should know how to spot counterfeit pay stubs to avoid tenants who do not make regular rent payments. There are various ways to identify whether a pay stub is authentic or not. It is also recommended to use other income verification methods in the tenant screening process to ensure you are only renting out to qualified tenants.
