What do you know about Fake Pay Stub?
As security systems have improved over the years, so has the quality of forgery. Without the right tools, it has become increasingly difficult to verify the validity of documents. Pay stubs are a common target as they are used to secure loans and rental properties.
Paystubs include important information about employees and their earnings. Unfortunately, phony pay stubs are all too frequent. In 2016, a police officer applied for a used automobile loan using a forged pay stub and was later charged with loan fraud. Unfortunately, not everyone is discovered, and if you can’t tell the difference between a genuine and a fake pay stub, you’re in big danger.
Fortunately, there are various warning signs to be aware of. To assist you in identifying any irregularities or errors, we’ve outlined everything you’d expect to see on a real check stub.
Some companies even offer an online service where customers can enter their information and the site will create a fake pay stub for them in a matter of minutes – almost indistinguishable from the real deal. However, there are some minor signs of fake pay stubs that you can look for that may save you from being scammed. Keep reading to learn more:
All basic information should be correct.
Fake pay stub generators frequently provide general information, and the individual who generated the stub may have overlooked specifics or failed to alter the generic wording. If any fundamental information, such as name, employment, or date of birth, is inaccurate, this is a major red flag. Another suspicious sign is spelling errors, which an accountant would generally catch and correct before issuing the stub – but a phony stub generator would not.
Another concern is spelling errors, which an accountant would generally catch and correct before issuing the stub – but a bogus pay stub generator would not. A real paystub will immediately populate with the information provided in the firm system, eliminating the possibility of inaccuracies.
An introduction to pay stubs
The first step to checking if you’ve got a real or fake pay stub in your hands is to go through the most obvious details they gave you. Does the information on the stub match all the other documents they provided? Most forms involving employment as for a name, address and social security number at the very least. If these do not match perfectly, you may be up for a wild ride.
Digits and decimal points should be in the same place
Pay stubs are created correctly by accountants. That is, all figures and decimal points must line up consistently across the pay stub, leaving no space for error or misinterpretation. A phony pay stub may appear to have been made using Microsoft Word, although a genuine pay stub will have been prepared using accounting and tax software.
Through the eyes of an accountant
A general rule of thumb is to remember that pay stubs are created by professional accountants, who are precise in everything they do. They aim to be accurate down to the cent, so a real pay stub with many rounded figures is usually a red flag. With the aid of financial support programs, accounts are even less likely to make simple mistakes these days. Any error in calculation on the stub, even an insignificant additional error should be a sign of alarm.
Should There Be a Difference Between ‘O’ and ‘0’?
When it comes to detecting a phony stub, small nuances make all the difference. On the pay stub, there should be a distinct contrast between the letter ‘o’ and the number ‘0’; frequently, a line will be drawn through the zero. Because fakes seldom care to examine these little characteristics, they are an excellent reason to conduct a more complete inquiry.
Is it easy to read?
Businesses use pay stubs for a variety of functions like calculating tax and payouts. For this reason, they make the slips as simple and well organized as possible to avoid confusion. If a pay stub has strange formatting and the information is all over the show, there’s a good chance you’re looking at a fake.
Estimates and roundups should be kept to a minimum.
Genuine pay stubs are generated by expert accountants who are concerned with accounting for every last penny. As a result, all estimates and roundups should be kept to a minimum. If you notice too many numbers rounded to the nearest zero, unrealistic estimates, or statistics that just don’t appear right, you should double-check to be sure you’re not dealing with a fake pay stub.
Check the quality of your pay stub
Another telltale sign is the quality of printing. As companies usually have professional-grade printers, miss prints and scratchy ink are unlikely. Look through the document with a fine-tooth comb for errors such as spelling mistakes before you approve anything.
It must be clearly legal.
If the pay stub is difficult to read, the numbers don’t match up correctly, or the formatting appears strange, it’s probably a fake pay stub. While there is no ideal pay stub, a legitimate stub will always be readily legible and easy to comprehend, using good quality paper and printer ink.
Don’t dismiss a poor-quality pay stub just because it comes from a small firm or a family business; the quality of their bookkeeping should not be affected.
Don’t believe everything they tell you
First, check online for a website to make sure they actually exist. Next, check that the company is actually based in the U.S. and that there is enough detailed information on their business activity. Finally, give the office a call and see who answers your call – as scammers often bank on the fact that you won’t actually follow through.
Our last piece of advice? You’re a better detective than you think. If something seems off, it probably is – so never doubt your desire to look a little closer.
