Landlords warned of fake payslip scam

Landlords in London are being warned by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) to thoroughly vet tenant documents after a series of forged payslips were presented to them.

Would-be scammers have submitted fake payslips and employment contracts claiming to be from Revolugen Ltd, a Glossop-based company.

Revolugen has confirmed that it is contacted weekly by landlords regarding these fraudulent documents.

The company has no record of any of the individuals listed on the forged documents, with seven different names used by the scammers.

Fraudulent documents being used

Mark Rodger, a cybercrime investigator and accredited financial investigator at Derbyshire Police, confirmed that Revolugen’s systems have not been compromised.

The fraudulent documents have probably been created using image editing software by an organised criminal group.

He said: “The potential tenants are committing fraud by false representation whenever they present these documents to landlords.

“The Met Police has been informed, and any landlords who receive faked documents should contact their local police force directly and report the fraud.”

The employer of a prospective tenant

The NRLA is advising landlords to directly contact the employer of a prospective tenant to verify their employment and income.

It adds that landlords can also conduct tenant referencing checks themselves or utilise a reputable third-party service.

These checks typically include:

• Identification checks (using a passport or driving licence)
• Proof of income
• Credit checks
• Confirmation of employment from the employer
• References from previous landlords.

The NRLA emphasises that thorough checks are crucial to ensure the reliability and financial stability of potential tenants, providing landlords with peace of mind.

The NRLA offers a handy guide to tenant referencing on its website.

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