Last month we read an article in The Observer about how fake payslips are being used to cheat banks, and were surprised to discover how easy it is to obtain one.

According to the article there are dozens of websites which offer easy access to authentic-looking payslips, costing somewhere between £20 and £50 for three. All you need to do is enter a few details, including a company name, notional salary and national insurance number. The website will then calculate the taxable pay and national insurance for you. Et voilà, within days you will receive your “novelty” pay slips in the post.

In some cases they are being used in order to apply for a mortgage as a (false) proof of income. Worryingly, lenders admit that they rarely spot the fake documents as they look so authentic. Most say that they would not ring an employer to check.

We often translate payslips and bank statements for immigration matters, so realise the potential serious consequences these fake documents could have for immigration advisers as well as the visa applicants themselves. But how would we be able to tell whether or not a payslip was genuine?

Authenticating original documents is not in our job description, however we will always make our clients aware of any concerns we have regarding the authenticity of documents. All we can do is state that we have provided a “true and accurate translation” of the original document, whether it be fake or genuine…