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Pay stubs show up everywhere: rental applications, hiring, loan reviews, and routine payroll questions. The hard part is not reading the document. The hard part is knowing whether it holds up when you look closer.

This guide is for landlords, property managers, employers, and anyone who needs to confirm income. It does not explain how to fake documents. It focuses on practical checks, common warning signs, and what to ask for when something does not look right.

Compliance note: This article shares general information, not legal advice. Screening rules vary by place and situation. Use the same steps for every person you screen so your process stays consistent.

Quick Answer: The Fastest Way to Spot a Fake Pay Stub

A real pay stub tends to have steady employer and employee details, clear pay period dates, and a believable breakdown of gross pay, taxes or deductions, and net pay. Many also show year-to-date (YTD) totals.

If you only have a minute, scan for:

• Missing pay period dates or missing employer details
• Numbers that do not make sense together (gross, deductions, net)
• Layout issues that look edited (odd spacing, mismatched fonts, misaligned columns)
• Pay dates that have no pattern
• No YTD totals, or YTD totals that feel out of place for the role

If anything feels off, use the three-level checklist below. It keeps your review consistent and reduces second-guessing.

The 3-Level Pay Stub Verification Workflow

Think of pay stub review as a funnel:

1. Level 1 (60 seconds): quick red-flag scan
2. Level 2 (5–10 minutes): consistency checks and basic math checks
3. Level 3 (escalate): confirm using independent sources and alternate proof

Run the same flow each time. It saves time and helps you stay fair.

Level 1: 60-Second Red Flag Scan (Fast Screening)

1) Check the “anchors” that most real stubs show

A typical pay stub shows:

• Employer name (often with address or phone)
• Employee name (sometimes an ID)
• Pay period start and end dates
• Pay date
• Gross pay
• Taxes or other deductions
• Net pay
• Often: YTD totals

Red flags

• Pay period dates missing, vague, or swapped
• Employer name present, but no other details and no easy way to confirm the business exists
• Only net pay shown with no breakdown
• A blank or near-blank deductions area for a normal W-2 paycheck

2) Look for layout issues that suggest edits

You do not need design skills to notice common problems:

• Columns that do not line up
• Font changes inside the same section
• Decimal points that drift
• Strange spacing around totals
• Parts of the document that look blurrier or sharper than the rest

One odd detail can happen. A cluster of them is when you move to Level 2 and Level 3.

3) Check pay frequency against the role

Pay schedules vary, but most follow a pattern:

• Weekly: same weekday each week
• Biweekly: every 14 days
• Semi-monthly: often around the 15th and the last day (or nearest business days)
• Monthly: one set date

Red flags

• Pay dates that feel random
• Pay period ranges that overlap
• Pay dates that do not match the pay period

Level 2: 5–10 Minute Consistency Checks (This Is Where Most Fakes Fail)

1) Do the “gross → deductions → net” reality check

A pay stub should tell a simple story:

• Gross pay (earnings before taxes and deductions)
• Deductions/withholding (taxes and other items)
• Net pay

Quick check:
Gross pay should be higher than net pay. Deductions should not be missing for a typical W-2 job, unless the paycheck is very small or there is a clear reason.

Red flags

• Net pay higher than gross pay
• Deductions listed, but net pay does not reflect them
• No federal or payroll tax lines for a normal W-2 paycheck
• A deductions section that looks copied or repeated

2) Check the hourly math (if hours and rate are shown)

Many hourly stubs list both the hours and the pay rate. That makes a quick cross-check possible.

• Regular wages should roughly match hours × rate
• Overtime, when listed, should roughly match overtime hours × overtime rate
  (Overtime is often time-and-a-half, but payroll setups can vary.)

Watch for these issues

• Hours and rate are shown, but gross pay is far away from what the math suggests
• Overtime hours appear, but the rate never changes
• The hours do not fit the length of the pay period

3) Review YTD totals (do they grow in a normal way?)

YTD totals should:

• Increase with each pay period
• Make sense relative to the pay rate and pay frequency

Red flags

• YTD totals missing on one stub but present on another for the same employer
• YTD totals that look too low or too high for the number of pay periods shown
• YTD wages that do not fit the rest of the pay history

4) Compare at least two pay stubs (patterns are harder to fake)

If you are confirming income, one stub can mislead you. Two or three stubs let you see whether the details stay consistent.

When comparing stubs, check that:

• Pay period dates do not overlap
• Employer details match the same way each time
• Pay rate stays steady unless there is a clear reason for a change
• Deductions follow a pattern (small changes happen, wild swings need an explanation)

Watch for these issues

• Employer name or address changes between stubs
• Pay frequency shifts with no explanation
• Deductions jump around without any reason
• The layout changes abruptly, like it came from different sources

Level 3: Escalation Steps That Actually Confirm Income

If Level 1 and Level 2 still leave doubt, do not guess. Use steps that depend on independent information.

1) Confirm the employer using contact details you find yourself

If you call an employer, do not rely only on the phone number printed on the stub. Instead:

• Find the company through its official site, a public listing, or a known directory
• Call the main line and ask how payroll or HR handles verification requests
• Ask only for what you need (many employers share limited details)

Red flags

• The business cannot be found through normal public sources
• The phone number does not match public listings
• The company name looks generic and does not fit the role or industry

2) Ask for stronger proof of income (when it makes sense)

If the pay stub leaves questions, ask for alternate documents.

For W-2 employees

• Bank statements showing payroll deposits (matching employer name when possible)
• Employment verification letter (with contact details you can confirm)
• Offer letter for a new job, plus first deposit proof if available

For self-employed or gig workers

• Bank statements showing steady deposits
• Invoices plus proof of payment
• Tax documents when your process allows that

Asking for more proof is not the same as an accusation. It is a normal part of income confirmation.

3) Keep a consistent policy

Whatever your process is:

• Use the same checklist and the same escalation steps for everyone
• Note what you reviewed and why
• Avoid decisions based on vibes or assumptions

Consistency protects you and keeps your screening fair.

Common Red Flags List (Simple and Practical)

Use this list as a quick guide. One item alone does not prove anything. A pattern is what matters.

Document details

• Employer details missing or hard to confirm
• Pay period dates missing or confusing
• No tax or deduction breakdown for a normal paycheck
• Employee name spelling changes across documents
• Pay schedule does not match the role or pay period shown

Formatting and layout

• Columns do not line up, spacing looks edited, fonts do not match
• Blurry sections, copy artifacts, odd shadows around totals
• Totals that look “pasted” rather than generated as part of the same document

Numbers that do not reconcile

• Gross, deductions, and net do not line up in a believable way
• Hourly math does not match rate × hours
• Overtime shown without any overtime rate change
• YTD totals do not grow in a normal pattern across pay periods

Legit Reasons a Real Pay Stub Might Look “Off”

This part matters. Real stubs can look unusual for normal reasons, such as:

• Bonus, commission, or one-time payment
• Retro pay
• Benefits changes (insurance, retirement contributions)
• Unpaid leave or partial pay periods
• Garnishments
• A withholding update after a W-4 change
• A payroll provider change that changes the layout

When something looks odd, use the checklist and confirm. Do not jump to a conclusion.

A Printable Pay Stub Verification Checklist 

Level 1: 60-Second Scan

• Employer name looks consistent
• Employer address or phone is present, or the business is easy to confirm elsewhere
• Employee name matches the person’s paperwork
• Pay period start and end dates are shown
• Pay date is shown
• Gross pay, deductions, and net pay are shown
• Layout looks consistent (no obvious mixed fonts or misaligned totals)

Level 2: 5–10 Minute Check

• Gross pay is higher than net pay (normal pattern)
• Deductions and withholding look plausible for the job type
• Hourly math checks out when hours and rate are listed
• Overtime looks consistent with overtime hours and rate
• YTD totals look reasonable
• Compare at least two stubs: dates do not overlap, employer details match, patterns stay steady

Level 3: Escalate (If Needed)

• Confirm employer contact details through independent sources
• Ask for bank statements showing payroll deposits
• Ask for an employment verification letter or offer letter when appropriate
• Use the same escalation steps for each case

FAQ: Real vs Fake Pay Stubs

How many pay stubs should I ask for?

Two or three recent pay stubs usually give a clearer picture than one. Patterns are easier to spot across multiple pay periods.

Are digital pay stubs acceptable?

Yes. Digital stubs are common. Focus on consistency, believable numbers, and whether the income can be supported through other proof when needed.

Is it okay to ask for bank statements?

If your process allows it, bank statements can confirm payroll deposits. Collect only what you need and handle it with care.

What if the pay stub looks real but the numbers still feel wrong?

Move to Level 3. Confirm the employer using contact details you find yourself and ask for stronger proof of income.

What should a real pay stub show at minimum?

Employer and employee identity, pay period dates, pay date, gross pay, a deductions or withholding breakdown, and net pay. Many stubs also show YTD totals.

What if someone is self-employed and has no pay stubs?

Ask for other proof such as bank statements, invoices with payment proof, or tax documents when that fits your process.

Read more:-

• ePaystubs generator for clear payroll records
• Check Stub for Self Employed: IRS Compliant Guide
• Looking for a Paystub Generator? Here is Why ePaystubs Makes the Process Simple
• How to Void Check Safely for Direct Deposit, Bills or Fixed Mistakes

Final note

The goal is not to “catch” people. The goal is to verify income reliably with a consistent process that protects everyone involved. If you apply the same checklist every time, you reduce errors, reduce bias risk, and make decisions you can confidently support.