Screen Tenants Like a Professional
The New Tenant Fraud Playbook (and Why DIY Landlords Need Tech + Tenacity)
Prospective tenant fraud is on the rise, big time. So in today’s world thorough tenant screening isn’t “being picky.” It’s basic risk management.
Let’s Pause: As you read this, please understand that 90%+ of our applicants are good people with good intentions. It’s the rest that continue to slow things down, create havoc and impugn reputations with baseless or inaccurate one-star reviews.
The old-school approach of application, quick credit check, a couple phone calls worked fine back when people didn’t have a PDF editor in their pocket and a marketplace full of fake paystubs one click away. That world is gone. Today, a bad applicant can look pristine on paper… right up until the first rent payment (or even security deposit!!!) bounces and you learn you’ve been auditioning for a very expensive life lesson. We’ve seen it all.
Here’s the part most mom-and-pop landlords miss:
You’re not just screening the tenant. You’re screening the sources.
Paystubs. Bank statements. Employment letters. “Landlord references.” Even IDs. Any of it can be fabricated, borrowed, or purchased. If you don’t verify, you’re trusting the person with the most to gain by stretching the truth.
And before anyone says, “Chris, I don’t want to be heartless”… good. Don’t be heartless. Be consistent. Be fair. Be documented. Afterall, there are very real fair housing considerations we must all work with. Those three things protect your tenant and protect you.
Because this is the truth nobody wants to say out loud:
Vacant is painful… but eviction is a financial gut punch.
And it’s not just the money. It’s the time. The stress. The confrontation. The damage. The sleep you don’t get back.
So if you’re a do-it-yourself landlord, you have two choices:
Run screening like a real business with real systems, or
Outsource it to someone who already does.
There’s no third option where you keep winging it and also stay profitable and peaceful. Not in today’s world where truth is considered optional.
The “Looks Perfect on Paper” Problem
Fraud doesn’t show up wearing a hoodie saying “I’m fraud.”
Fraud shows up with:
A great smile and a better story
A clean-looking paystub
A landlord reference that “just loves them”
A sense of urgency (“We need to move this weekend!” – very common)
A willingness to pay quickly (sometimes too quickly)
And here’s what’s changed recently: the paperwork can be beautiful. Clean fonts. Matching addresses. Professional formatting. Because it was either:
created with templates,
edited in minutes,
or flat-out generated.
If you’re screening the way landlords screened in 2005, you’re bringing a butter knife to a gunfight.
Have a war story you’d like to share? Or a different perspective?
What “Thorough Screening” Actually Means in 2026
This is the line in the sand:
1) Written criteria, applied the same way every time
If your screening criteria lives in your head, you don’t have criteria. You have vibes.
Write it down:
income requirement (and how you calculate it), be cognizant of local laws
credit standards (and what exceptions look like, if any)
rental history expectations
criminal history policy (if you use one, be careful and compliant)
occupancy limits
pets / smoking rules
required documentation list
Do the same process for everyone. Not because you’re cold, rather because you’re professional.
2) Verify employment through independent channels
If you call the phone number on the application, you may be calling their cousin.
Instead:
Look up the company independently (official website / main line)
Ask for HR or a supervisor verification
Confirm: start date, position, full/part-time, and income frequency
If they’re self-employed:
tax returns, 1099s, bank statements showing consistent deposits
business license or proof of business activity
consistency over time (not just one “good” month)
3) Confirm prior landlords… beyond the number they give you
This one is huge.
People list their friend as a “landlord.” Or a relative. Or they create a Google Voice number and answer it themselves. You’d be amazed.
So:
Verify property ownership through public records when possible
Cross-check addresses and dates
Call the owner/manager using contact info you find independently when you can
A real former landlord will usually have specifics: dates, payment method, notices, lease compliance, property care. A fake one is vague and enthusiastic.
4) Cross-check timelines and inconsistencies
Applications are stories. Your job is to make sure the chapters line up.
Does the job start date match the paystub timeline?
Do the bank deposits match what they claim?
Does their stated address history match the credit report?
Does the employer address match the actual employer location?
Does the ID address match what they claim?
Fraud usually leaks through the seams.
Technology Isn’t Optional Anymore (It’s Your Seatbelt)
I’m not saying you need to “buy every shiny tool.” I’m saying you need enough tech to stop getting played.
At minimum, DIY landlords need:
A reputable tenant screening system (credit + criminal + eviction + address history, where legally available)
A way to document everything (applications, communications, verification steps)
A consistent process (checklists, templates, stored criteria)
If you’re collecting screenshots and text messages like it’s an evidence scavenger hunt, you’re going to lose when it matters.
Tech doesn’t replace judgment. It supports judgment. It creates a paper trail. And if you ever end up in court, paper trails win arguments.
Tenacity: The Part People Skip
Here’s the uncomfortable reality: thorough screening takes effort.
It takes time to verify employment the right way. It takes time to track down the real owner of a prior rental. It takes time to say, “I need one more document,” when you’re tired of showing the property.
And that’s why fraud works. Fraud counts on landlord fatigue.
Fraud counts on:
“I’m sick of vacancy.”
“They seem nice.”
“I don’t want confrontation.”
“I don’t have time to chase this down.”
If you’re DIY, you must develop the ability to slow down without panic.
Urgency is not your friend. Urgency is their tool.
Red Flags That Should Make You Slow Down (Not Speed Up)
These aren’t automatic denials. They’re speed bumps.
“I can pay six months up front” (sometimes legit, sometimes a distraction)
Employer contact info that’s personal Gmail with no company footprint
Paystubs that look too perfect, with odd formatting or rounded numbers
Bank statements with missing pages or inconsistent deposit patterns
“My landlord can’t be reached” or “they only text”
Story changes when you ask simple clarifying questions
They push you to skip steps (“I’ll do it later, we’re in a hurry”)
When things feel off, don’t argue. Don’t accuse. Just calmly require verification.
If you are finding this article helpful, you may choose to join our weekly real estate discussions.
The Simple Rule
If it can be faked, it must be verified.
That sounds cynical. It’s not. It’s reality.
You can still be kind. You can still be human. You can still be the landlord who gives someone a chance. But you do it with a process that prevents you from becoming the easiest target in town.
A Quick DIY Screening Checklist You Can Steal
Written criteria ready before you list the property
Application + government ID
Full screening report from a reputable provider
Employment verification using independent contact info
Income verification that matches deposits/paystubs/tax docs
Prior landlord verification (not just the applicant-provided number)
Address/timeline cross-check
Document everything in a folder per applicant
Same steps for everyone, every time
If anything is inconsistent: pause, verify, or move on
And yes, sometimes you’ll lose a decent applicant because you took too long. That’s frustrating. And sometimes it leads to one-star reviews of our services. But we simply must use the same process for everyone. And if they don’t get in everything we ask for, well, they slow the process down, not us.
But here’s the tradeoff:
A slightly longer vacancy is a controllable problem.
An eviction is an uncontrollable problem.
If You Don’t Want to Do This… That’s Also a Valid Answer
If you read this and think, “Chris, I don’t have the time or temperament for all this,” that’s not a moral failure.
It’s a business decision.
Either:
simplify your investment model,
hire professional management,
or adjust your expectations on returns versus stress.
Because the market has changed. Fraud has changed. The paperwork has changed.
And landlords who don’t change with it get selected… by the worst tenants.
This post is NOT legal advice. Housing laws vary by city and state, and screening must be consistent and compliant (especially Fair Housing). The point of this post is operational: tighten your process so your rental property stays an asset—not a headache with a roof.
Chris Lengquist
Ad Astra Realty, Inc
913-839-2953