Fraud type · Document fraud

Spotting fake payslips and employer statements

Estate agents, landlords and lenders decide on the basis of income documents. Those are exactly what gets forged: an edited payslip, an invented employer or a statement from a company that does not exist.

SafetyBizz Knowledge base · updated 24 October 2026 · 6 min read · NL

How does it work?

Short answer: an applicant hands in a payslip, employment contract or employer statement showing a higher or more stable income than they really have. Sometimes a real payslip is edited; sometimes the whole employer is invented, or it is a company that exists only on paper.

The variants

The edited payslip: the gross salary, contract type or start date has been changed.
The invented employer: a company with a website and a phone number, but no real activity.
The empty company: a registered company without staff, sometimes owned by an acquaintance, that issues a statement.
The cloned employer: the name of a real, well-known company, with its own email address and phone number for the “check”.

Rule of thumb: check the employer, not just the paper. A correct-looking document from a company that doesn’t add up says nothing.

Unsure about a company?

Check it now: register, directors, domain, bank account and documents side by side, with our AI fraud expert alongside.

9 red flags

The employer was registered only recentlyor has an activity that doesn’t fit the job.
The employer has few or no staffbut pays a high salary.
Contact details on the statement don’t belong to the companyaccording to the register or official website.
An email address on a free domainfor a company with its own website.
The figures don’t match: gross, net, deductions and holiday pay don’t add up.
Font or layout differsaround the salary or date.
No difference between monthseven though there should be overtime, allowances or holiday pay.
Salary paid in cashor the bank statement shows different amounts.
Urgency and pressureto decide today.

One red flag is not proof. If you see two or more, stop and check further first.

Checklist for estate agents and landlords

Look up the employer in the official register: does the company exist, since when, with what activity?
Call the employer on a number you looked up yourself and ask for HR or payroll.
Compare the payslip with the bank statement on which the salary arrives.
Ask for an official record where possible, such as an income statement from the tax authority.
Recalculate the payslip: do gross, net and deductions match?
Record what you checked and how, for your own file.

What to do if you suspect fraud

Do not proceed with the application and record what you saw.
Don’t confront the applicant with accusations; ask for additional, official documents.
Report it to the police or a fraud reporting point if there is clear forgery.
Handle the personal data you received carefully and don’t keep it longer than necessary.

Let Safetybizz check it

Safetybizz checks the employer on a payslip or employer statement: does the company really exist, since when, with what activity, and do the contact details belong to it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check whether an employer really exists?

Look up the company in the official company register, check the registration date and activity, and call the company on a number you looked up yourself.

May I call an employer to verify a payslip?

You can ask whether the person works there and whether the statement came from them. Ask the applicant for consent beforehand and handle personal data carefully.

Which documents are harder to forge?

Official records that you or the applicant request directly from a government body, such as an income statement from the tax authority.

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This page is general information and not legal advice.