Pay stub fraud

Fake pay stub vs real: how to tell, in one read

Fake pay stubs cost about $15 and a minute of effort. They show up on a meaningful share of Ontario rental applications. Here is the side-by-side comparison, the eight checks that catch most of them, what the law says when somebody submits one, and what it costs a landlord who does not catch it.

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Side by side: eight tells

PDF creator metadata

Real

ADP, Ceridian, QuickBooks, Payworks, or similar payroll software in the PDF Producer/Creator fields.

Fake

Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Canva, Smallpdf, an online editor, or no metadata at all.

Gross — deductions = net

Real

The math balances exactly (or within a few cents of rounding).

Fake

Off by tens or hundreds of dollars. Common when the forger types numbers without recalculating.

Year-to-date (YTD) figures

Real

YTD is always larger than the current pay period because it includes the current period.

Fake

YTD smaller than current period, or YTD identical to current period — both impossible.

Pay date

Real

A recent date, usually within the last two weeks, never in the future.

Fake

Future date, or much older than 90 days. Sometimes a perfectly round “today” that does not match the employer's pay cycle.

Tax line items

Real

Federal tax, provincial tax, CPP, EI as separate line items in expected Canadian ratios.

Fake

Round numbers, missing tax lines, or tax amounts that do not match any Canadian rate.

Employer details

Real

Real employer with a verifiable business number, real address, real phone number found independently.

Fake

Generic name, suite-only address, no real online presence, or only the phone number printed on the stub itself.

Pay frequency consistency

Real

Bi-weekly or semi-monthly pay periods that align across multiple stubs, with consistent gross.

Fake

Random or shifting pay dates between stubs, or gross that varies wildly without explanation.

Fonts and layout

Real

Single font family, perfectly aligned columns, no obvious copy-paste artifacts.

Fake

Mixed fonts, misaligned columns, overlapping text, or visual artifacts from editing.

What the free checker tests

The tool runs four checks in the browser. Any single fail is reason to ask questions. Two or more fails is reason to stop and verify income another way.

  1. PDF Software Fingerprint— real payroll software signs the PDF; consumer editors do not.
  2. Deduction Math— gross minus deductions must equal net pay.
  3. YTD Consistency— year-to-date must be larger than the current period.
  4. Pay Date Logic— pay date in the future or older than 90 days is a red flag.

Consequences for the tenant

Forgery — Criminal Code s.366

Creating or altering a document to look genuine, knowing it is false, with intent that someone act on it. Indictable offence with up to 10 years.

Fraud — Criminal Code s.380

Obtaining property or a service by deceit. Fraud under $5,000 is a hybrid offence; fraud over $5,000 is indictable with up to 14 years.

Loss of the tenancy

Far more common than criminal charges. Once the misrepresentation surfaces — usually at the first missed rent payment — the landlord serves an N4 and proceeds to an L1. The tenancy ends and the tenant carries a bad reference.

Liability to the next landlord

Some courts have held a previous landlord giving a knowingly false positive reference liable for the subsequent landlord's losses. Always be truthful when contacted as a reference.

Consequences for the landlord

A landlord who accepts a fake pay stub almost always pays for it — not in fines, but in lost rent. The cost stack:

  • Six to twelve months of lost rent waiting for the LTB hearing at current backlog levels.
  • Filing fees, paralegal fees, and the landlord's own time at hearing.
  • Wear and damage during the period of non-payment, often above the LMR deposit.
  • Future rental income lost while the unit is being made ready.
  • The OHRC risk of having rejected a legitimate applicant on a thin signal — verify first, then decide.

The honest limit

A tool catches the lazy fakes. Not the careful ones.

The four checks catch most stubs generated by online generators and most stubs created in Word. A patient forger using real payroll software and tracing the math correctly can produce a stub that passes everything. For documents that pass automated checks, the only certainty is verifying income at the source — directly through the applicant's bank.

FAQ

How can I tell if a pay stub is fake?

Real stubs come from recognizable payroll software (ADP, Ceridian, Payworks, QuickBooks), have a software fingerprint in the PDF metadata, math that balances exactly, YTD figures larger than the current period, and a recent pay date. Fakes usually fail at least one.

Is submitting a fake pay stub illegal in Ontario?

Yes. Forgery under Criminal Code s.366 and fraud under s.380 both apply. Criminal charges in residential tenancy disputes are rare; loss of tenancy and a bad reference are the common practical consequences.

What are the consequences for a landlord who accepts a fake pay stub?

Six to twelve months of lost rent at current LTB backlog levels, filing and legal fees, wear and damage above the LMR deposit, and lost rental income while the unit is re-prepared. Typical loss runs into tens of thousands of dollars.

Can a tool reliably catch every fake pay stub?

No. Automated tools catch the most common fabrication mistakes — fingerprint, math, YTD, dates — but a careful forger can pass every automated check. Treat the tool as a first filter, then verify directly with the bank.

Where do fake pay stubs come from?

Dozens of websites generate professional-looking stubs in minutes for under $20. They accept any employer name, salary, and pay date and produce a visually convincing PDF with no underlying payroll data.

Related guides

How to Spot a Fake Pay Stub (Full Guide)

The original eight-red-flag guide with the detailed breakdown of each indicator.

How to Verify Tenant Income in Ontario

Bank-connected verification vs. documents — what each method proves and why the 30% rule is an OHRC problem.

How to Verify Tenant Income: 5 Methods Ranked

The five methods Ontario landlords use, ranked by reliability with cost and speed for each.

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Statutory references

Sections of Ontario law this guide is grounded in. Read the source text before acting on a specific situation.

  • CC s.366— Forgery — making or knowingly using a false document with intent that someone act on it
  • CC s.380— Fraud — obtaining property or services by deceit (s.380(1)(a) for over $5,000 is indictable up to 14 years)
  • RTA s.234— Offence to demand or accept prohibited information during the screening process

About this guide

Written and maintained by the ScreenTenants.ca editorial team and reviewed against Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Landlord and Tenant Board's published rules. Last reviewed June 2026.

This is general information for Ontario landlords, not legal advice. Rules change and individual situations vary — confirm details with the LTB or a licensed paralegal or lawyer before acting on a specific matter.

See our editorial policy for sources, review cadence, and corrections.