Can a prospective tenant fake his application with false docs?

Question

Hello,

I received an application from Zillow rental manager today. The applicant looks solid in terms of monthly income from job and credit score for my Class A rental. However his previous residence seem like Class C or even Class D for the last five years makes me wonder if they have tampered with their pay stubs and W2s and submitted the application, how can I be really sure the applicant is not faking their documents? Should I just call up their current employer and inquire if they are in good standing? Appreciate your inputs.

Thanks

Patti Robertson · Answer

All day every day.  Google fake pay stubs.  Here's a link to one of the sites below.  I've started using an income verification vendor - theclosingdocs.com.  It costs $10, which you can pay or make the applicant pay. They have the applicant load up their deposit accounts and they give you their recurring and non-recurring deposit summary for the last month, 3 months, and year. It's been a game changer because of the crazy amount of fake pay stubs people are using.

https://www.realcheckstubs.com...

Karl B. · Answer

Yes. Call the employer (Google the company name to make certain the phone number matches with the one the potential tenant supplied - if it doesn't call the one in the Google search results).

Ask to speak with human resources and ask them if the pay amount stated in the rental application is an accurate number (also confirm the employment time frame).

Scott M. · Answer

Yes, they can and do. Not all of course but if you are in this biz you will no doubt come across it at one point or another.  @Patricia Steiner gave great advice, what the tenant provides is just info.  it is 100% up to you (or your manager) to verify it.  As others have said call the company.  Not saying @Steven Stokes is wrong, just saying our experience is vastly different from his.  We have excellent luck calling employers.  Some answer over the phone, some ask you to fill out a form, some ask to see that we have proper permission to be asking, some use a 3rd party service.  But we always call - and never call the number the applicant tells you to call.  Google the co.  Can also ask for a copy of their work ID.  Not every co has that but ask for a photo front and back.  Won't make/break a tenant for us but good to see and add to the mix.  You can also ask for copies of a voided check and bank statements, make sure numbers match and see income coming in.  Again, not something I would rely on but something to add to the mix.

Steven Stokes · Answer

Like someone said, employers will not verify salary, nor will they tell you if an employee is in good standing. You can ask if they are employed there and their job title and google "job title salary." (this will give you an approximation of what they may be getting).

Also, the property they come from might not have anything to do with what they are moving into. They may have tolerated living somewhere less because it didn't bother them or maybe they were saving money or many reasons.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Peter Morgan    Also if the employer won't verify salary  only employment you can spot check that the reported income is in line with the job title  and what that company pays.   Some reasons people might come from a class c to class a area aside from change in circumstances is that they moved to an area and misjudged the original rental or they now have a partner occupying the unit.

Patricia Steiner · Answer

An application and documents provide you with information - that's it.  It is what you discover independent of the applicant that is important.  That you questioned the application and the leap in markets indicates that you've got this.  Trust nothing that you can't independently vet.

Best...

Can a prospective tenant fake his application with false docs?

Most Popular Reply