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It can be easy to trust papers that look official. A fancy letterhead, hieroglyphic details, stamps, coded information that seems only pertinent to the business at hand, add a signature and it has to be real, right? Wrong. Let’s explore just how easy it can be to create fake documents, including paystubs.
A quick google search will bring up a plethora of companies that will generate a fake paystub for you. The first page of google search results alone is filled with multiple services for paystub generators. They promise to be the “fastest paystub generator” and can create a “paystub in minutes.” Many of these companies are offering legitimate services for small businesses needing paystubs for their employees and contractors, however these services can be easily hijacked for more illicit deeds as well.
Just how easy is it to use one of these online paystub generators? It is as simple as entering information and clicking submit. A person can choose to falsify the company they worked for, and even inflate their hourly rate and hours. We were able to make one for the purpose of this article in 4 minutes.
More than just paystubs, these services offer W-2 Forms and 1099 Forms as well. Pricing of these services can range anywhere from $0 to $15 to $40, depending on the quality and quantity.
For the more savvy computer user, many can generate their own paystub without the help of online services. Those that know how to use Adobe software or Microsoft Word can make their own believable paystub in minutes. Microsoft Word has built in templates for this exact purpose. Well, not to generate false paystubs but for legitimate contractors, freelancers, and small businesses needing to invoice and keep track of payments for their own bookkeeping. With the help of Adobe Photoshop, it is incredibly easy to modify a real document to increase earnings. A person could update their income amount to any dollar amount they need to or change the business phone number to a friend’s.
All of this is to say, verifying your lease applicants’ income statements is incredibly important. No longer can you trust a document simply because it looks official. The process can be tedious, but it is far easier to verify this important information up front rather than to find out that your tenant cannot afford to pay their rent weeks after they’ve moved in.
There are a few ways to verify the income of your applicants. You can call previous employers or you can use an automated income verification tool. Many of these income verification tools already have relationships with banking institutions so they can quickly verify your applicants' income and highlight any areas of concern, i.e. where the information provided doesn’t add up.
In addition to linking directly with an applicant's bank account, you have the option to link to their payroll provider to validate income and employment. These technology solutions make it easier to mitigate risk with real-time data, confidently verify income and employment, and provide a simple, intuitive user experience for both you and your applicants.
